UP ALL NIGHT STAMPER

Leap Year Explained!

I have always wondered why it is that we have to make up one day every four years and I figured I couldn't be the only person curious about that. So here's the dealio.....

A complete revolution around the sun takes us approximately 365 days PLUS six hours. So every four years we have an extra day that we have to account for.  Why this occurs in February is explained here courtesy of Wikipedia:  "The leap day was introduced as part of theJulian reform. The day following the Terminalia (February 23) was doubled, forming the "bis sextum"—literally 'double sixth', since February 24 was 'the sixth day before the  Kalends of March' using Roman inclusive counting (March 1 was the 'first day'). Although exceptions exist, the first day of the bis sextum (February 24) was usually regarded as the intercalated or "bissextile" day since the third century. February 29 came to be regarded as the leap day when the Roman system of numbering days was replaced by sequential numbering in the late Middle Ages."  Phew.......

February 29 occurs in most years that are evenly divisible by 4, such as 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016. Years that are evenly divisible by 100 do not contain a leap day, with the exception of years that are evenly divisible by 400, which do contain a leap day.  Double Phew!

Some famous people who were born on Leap Day are Jimmy Dorsey, Ja Rule, Tony Robbins, Alex Rocco, Dinah Shore, Antonio Sabato and Dennis Farina.  I wonder if they celebrate their birthdays on the 28th or March 1st in non-leap years?  I know if MY birthday was on Leap Day I would be having ONE HECKUVA party every four years!

I actually DO know someone who has a Leap Day birthday so I am sending him a special card.  I figure if you only get to celebrate for real once every four years or so you deserve all the cards you can get!

Do you know any one who has a Leap Day birthday?

 

 

Stampin' Up! Is So On Trend!

Do you love color?  Do you love seeing new color combinations?  Do you like to take scraps of papers and mix them up to see what you can come up with? 

I love color, too.  And one of the things I like to check out occasionally are the color trends through the Pantone website and lately I have noticed a very interesting thing........Stampin' Up! is completely on trend with each season's colors!  Take a look at the Fall/Winter 2012 colors that came out of Fashion Week this spring -

I added the names of the colors I thought were the closest Stampin' Up! matches.  Isn't it great that Stampin' Up! is able to mix In Colors with always colors and be so current?  And the fact that you can stay within one Stampin' Up! color grouping and not go wrong, yet still be able to mix Brights with Neutrals and Neutrals with In Colors, and so on, is remarkable.  Other companies use different shades, hues and tints within each color family, making it tricky to "cross pollinate".  Not with Stampin' Up!!  And now that you can see that Stampin' Up! IS one of the cutting edge leaders in papercrafting trends, you can rest assured knowing you are part of one of the best crafting bets out there!

What your favorite color combination?

Back By Popular Demand - Friday Fab in Five!

One thing I get a lot of requests for (that I can do something about right now) is to bring back Friday Fab in Five.  This is where I show you something fabulous that will take you five minutes or less, on a Friday, natch.

So today, this is what I have to offer.  Check out this simple, pretty card.....

See that Pacific Point Baker's Twine?  Wait a minute!  Pacific Point Baker's Twine?  We have that?  Well not premade but with plain white baker's twine and our Stampin' Write markers, you can have any color baker's twine you want!  It's so easy to do!

Just wrap some plain white Baker's Twine around a marker or, as I did here, around a blender pen.

Then you just take the color marker you want and draw some stripes on it like so...

If you want the stripes to be angled like they are on our colored baker's twine, just draw your stripes on an angle.  I was looking for a more "spotted" look so I did straight lines.  And Voila!  Custom colored baker's twine!

Supply List
Pacific Point Cardstock, Item #111350
Whisper White Cardstock, Item #100730
Fabulous Florets Stamp Set, Item #123025
Loving Thoughts, Item #125843
Wild Wasabi Classic Ink Pad, Item #109014
Bashful Blue Classic Ink Pad, Item #105209
Pacific Point Classic Ink Pad, Item #111837
Bashful Blue Satin Ribbon, Item #124325
White Baker's Twine, Item #124262
Pacific Point Stampin' Write Market, Item #120968
Paper Snips, Item #103579
Multipurpose Liquid Glue, Item #110755
Stampin' Dimensionals, Item #104430

Color me Flattered!

Remember this card?

Well the uber talented and totally sweet Patty Bennett, one of Stampin' Up!'s finest, saw it on a business email loop we both belong to and very kindly asked if she could create a video tutorial showing how it was done.  Well, how could I say no?  And I am so glad I said yes because Patty's video is outstanding.  Check it out!

 

 

Thanks Patty for creating this video!  Now, who wants to make some stained glass cards?

Supply List
Designer Cuts Cards & Envelopes, Item #125414
Vellum Cardstock, Item #101856
Stampin' Write Markers, Assorted, pages 176 - 180
Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon, Item #117289
Lucky Limeade 1/8" Organdy Ribbon, FREE with Item #127279 from Sale-A-Bration
SNAIL Adhesive, Item #104332
Very Vanilla Cardstock, Item #101650

 

 

 

A Taste of Sparkly Spring

I don't know about where you are but here in Massachusetts today was freakishly beautiful and it made me think I could get just a teensy whiff of spring in the air.  I just HAD to do something springy today so I made this for you

This card came together so quickly.  It is made from some leftover pieces from another butterfly card I was working on and when I decided that these parts didn't work with those parts, a new card was born when I saw them lying there together on my desk.

All I had to do to take those pretty butterflies from "Aww" to "OOH!" was to spread a thin layer of liquid glue over them and when dry, sprinkle them with our superfine Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  See how the light refracts off the glitter?  You won't see such tiny points of light and such sparkle with the regular craft store glitter.  It's just not fine enough to reflect the light the same way.  Plus who can resist some "Dazzling Diamonds"?

Enjoy!

Supply List
Lucky Limeade Cardstock, Item #122926
Regal Rose Cardstock, Item #105130
Basic Gray Cardstock, Item #121044
Very Vanilla Cardstock, Item #101650
First Edition Specialty Paper, Item #121878
Pretty Postage Stamp Set, Item #123097
Postage Stamp Punch, Item #122344
Regal Rose Stampin' Write Marker, Item #105108
Lucky Limeade Stampin' Write Marker, Item #123002
Basic Gray Classic Ink Pad, Item #109120
Mutipurpose Liquid Glue, Item #110755
Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Item #102023
Victoria Crochet Trim, Item #118481
Stampin' Dimensionals, Item #104430
SNAIL, Item #104332

New Releases for My Digital Studio!

It's Tuesday so that means more brand new releases for My Digital Studio!  Check them out!

Look at that ADORABLE bride and groom!  Can't you just see that on some simple white cards, maybe with some embossed edge as a thank you note set for a new bride?  And look at that Blossom Builders set!  That's SEVENTY FOUR pieces with multicolored rhinestones!  YIPPPEEEE!  And the baby boy and baby girl announcement postcard template - honestly, there's really nothing you can't do with My Digital Studio!

If you have any questions know you can ALWAYS contact me for help!  I am My Digital Studio certified and I try to spend several hours a week "practicing".  Oh, the trials of my job! <snicker>

Who Wants an Instant 45% Discount On Stampin' Up! Products?

Would you like to get $278.00 of Stampin' Up! stuff for $125.00?  PLUS a free subscription to an exclusive Stampin' Magazine?  PLUS a free package of Designer Series Paper or digital downloads every month?  PLUS a minimum of 20% off all your future purchases?  PLUS the chance to see new things at least a month before anyone else?  PLUS the chance to earn a free trip?  PLUS the insanely fun camaraderie that comes with being a Stampin' insider?  PLUS the chance to earn money if you are so inclined?  PLUS eight catalogs and all the other business materials you need to start your own stampin' business?

Now through the end of March, you have the unique and lucky opportunity to get the FULL starter kit for $125.00!  This means you have the opportunity to choose over $278.00 worth of product and get that plus eight catalogs (worth almost $80!) plus all the materials you need including order forms, brochures, a great DVD and even more for just $125!  And if you sell all eight catalogs at the suggested retail price of $9.95 each, your cost drops to just under $50.  Are you SERIOUS?   $278.00 worth of Stampin' Up! products for $50???????  Yowzah!

And yes, let's talk about that elephant in the room.  It DOES mean that you would become a demonstrator.  Besides all of the INSANE benefits of being a demonstrator, the single most important thing for you to know is that THERE IS NO RISK TO TRYING OUT THE DEMONSTRATOR OPPORTUNITY.  None.  Nothing at all.  There's no having to pay anything back if you decide to drop. There are no additional costs if you aren't interested.  There's no hard sell if you decide you aren't interested.  Neither I nor Stampin' Up! would ever try to pressure you into doing something you aren't prepared to LOVE to do.

Now, here's a secret that not a lot of people know.  Selling Stampin' Up! products and following the Stampin' Up! business model is NOT the only way to earn money through being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator!  Yes, Stampin' Up! offers you ample opportunity to earn money, products and all sorts of additional benefits, but I have written a white paper listing many other ways you can parlay being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator into a real, reliable income stream.  All you have to do to get this white paper so you can learn more is to contact me and tell me you would like more information.  I will share this and more with you and then the ball will be in YOUR court.  I won't chase you and I won't nag you/  you have to be as excited about doing this as I am sharing it with you or it won't work for either one of us.

So think about it and if you want a SMOKIN' DEAL on a huge box of Stampin' Up! stuff and the chance to test drive being a demonstrator, call or email me.  We'll talk and you will be SO HAPPY we did!

PHEW!

Some of you may know that my mum and dad own a flower shop, Flowers By The Station, about an hour from where I live, near the town where I grew up.  Every year I help out in their shop on Valentine's Day since it is always completely crazy busy.  This year was no different.

We started at the crack of dawn, pulling runs for delivery.  This means going into a refrigerated room the size of a small bedroom and searching among hundreds - literally hundreds - of arrangements, wrapped bunches, vases, ever iteration of flowers you can imagine, looking for the name on the order sheet.  When you find it you have to somehow maneuver out of the cooler without spilling cold water on your (or someone else's) feet, breaking any of the blooms and not getting tree fern up your nose.  Then you put it on the correct staging table and turn around and go back in for another one.  Once you have all the orders pulled for that "run", you have to prep the orders. This means checking each and every one carefully for any broken stems, browning petals, make sure the sentiment card is attached, make sure the address is correct, and then cover it with a weather bag if it's below 40 degrees - but wait!  You have to put in a support spike first so the bag doesn't crush the flowers.  Then you have to nestle it in the correct travel container.

OK now they are ready to go. This means playing a delicate game of Tetris, trying to fit all the arrangements in the vehicle, making sure that they are roughly arranged in order of the delivery route BUT making sure that they aren't crushing each other.

And that's just GETTING READY to DELIVER! 

So the next time someone says "Oh it must be so much FUN to work in a flower shop", well, you can just nod knowingly.  It's not all wine and - ahem - roses.  Today I am sore, tired, my hands are chapped from being in cold water all day and I have thorn scratches all over my hands and arms and I am really hoping that brown streak on my jeans is lily pollen.

I did however, have a blast! I love being with my mum and dad anytime and the people that work with Mum and Dad are just the best.  They really have become family in the very best sense of the word.

So the next time you order flowers, know that a lot of very attentive work and a whole lotta caring went into your purchase.  And guys?  Don't call at 6:00pm on Valentine's Day and be surprised when the place you are calling is out of ivory roses or birds of paradise or teddy bears in red sweaters with "I Love You" in felt on their hats!  Take what you can and be glad the place you are calling doesn't have an "Oh, crap!" surcharge, a policy *I* wanted to institute!

We will return to our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow!

 

Stained Glass Valentine for my Readers

Yes it's been a while.  Yes, I have good stuff for you.  More later.

But NOW, check out this Stained Glass Valentine; isn't it GORGEOUS??

Now you may be wondering how on earth I made that and I am here to tell you it was EASY PEASY!  I used the beautiful Designer Cuts cards in the Occasions Mini Catalog and adhered a square of Vellum Cardstock to the INSIDE of the card, behind the cut outs.  Using markers, I colored ON the vellum OVER the openings, allowing the colors to show through the vellum and the openings on the front of the card.  When I was done, I just adhered a panel of Very Vanilla over the inside of the front of the card, hiding the "magic".  A little ribbon and - VOILA! - gorgeous card in under 10 minutes! 

The thing that is so wonderful about these Designer Cuts cards is that because the heart is filled with flower cut-outs, this can be used for so many more occasions than just Valentine's Day.  Think of this as a Mother's Day card!  Or a wedding card, done in the bride's colors.  And the other design in the package of eight cards is a lovely border that would be just as beautiful with this treatment.   And with the included Blushing Bride envelopes, these cards can be truly special.

Supply List
Designer Cuts Cards & Envelopes, Item #125414
Vellum Cardstock, Item #101856
Stampin' Write Markers, Assorted, pages 176 - 180
Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon, Item #117289
Lucky Limeade 1/8" Organdy Ribbon, FREE with Item #127279 from Sale-A-Bration
SNAIL Adhesive, Item #104332
Very Vanilla Cardstock, Item #101650

New Releases for My Digital Studio!

It's Tuesday so that means brand new digital papercrafting releases from Stampin' Up!  Here are this week's new releases:

Check out that Spring Fever Kit! This includes a 13-piece stamp brush set, 4 Designer Series Paper patterns and 69 embellishments!  WOW!  And do you see that Meant to Be Board Book Kit?  Can you picture that as a scrapbook chronicling how you and your honey met and got together?  What a terrific Valentine, Anniversary or even Wedding gift!  And that Everything Easter Ensemble is SO CUTE - it makes me wish I still had smallie-dos in the house.  You could color your eggs to match the colors in the kit and have the cutest little egg belly bands, egg stands and adorable little matching place cards for your Easter table. 

Check them all out and see which one you just can't live without this week!