Sweet Baby Boy!

Quick post before I run out the door!  One of the girls I work with is having a baby boy in August.  Here's the card I made for her :)  I used some retired DSP from last summer, and my new Midnight Muse ink (LOVE IT!!!!).  Shhh.  That's not an SU! stamp, but I haven't ordered a baby set to stamp with yet.  Don't report me to the stampin' police ;)

Happy stampin'!

Jeni

Sympathy Card :(

Sympathy cards are a given, but I don't keep them around - I have a weird thing about that.  So I have to make them as the necessity arises.  An acquaintance lost a great-grandchild yesterday, one of a set of newborn twins.  Please pray for their family in this time of sorrow.  Here's the card:

Sad today,

Jeni

Mother's Day Card

WHY do men find the Three Stooges so hilarious??  I'm sitting down in the family room listening to my hubby upstairs CRACKING up at a bootleg copy of the new movie.  I just don't get it - but it's funny to hear him up there laughing so hard :)

Anyway, I had to stop him from running over to the dollar store for a Mother's Day card for his mom. (Hel-LO, you've got your own personal cardmaker right here!!)

I am sure going to miss Beau Chateau DSP.  It's SUCH a nice vintage-y suite. <sigh>  Language of Friendship has the perfect little sweet flowers that match the Boho Blossoms punch.  I pulled out a retired set from last spring, Blessed Mother, for the sentiment, punched the edges and "antiqued" them with some Soft Suede ink.  Probably could've done without the little strip of ribbon, but it's too late to rip it all apart :)

I'll be visiting my mom next weekend, so she'll get her card then - will blog that later.

Get that Beau Chateau DSP before it's gone, gone, gone!  Only a few more weeks left to order from the current IB&C - so if there's something on your wish list, better get it now.

Happy stampin'!

Jeni

New Catalog Teasers!!

First, I'm sorry I haven't posted anything new in a few weeks.  This Monday was the first day of my new job as nurse case manager for the Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease (yeah, that's a mouthful!!) at Jefferson's Wellness Center.  This has been my dream job for the past three years and I finally got it!!  It's a lot to learn and WAAAAAY different than the floor nursing I've been used to since 1993.  I'm a little overwhelmed right now with all I have to soak in before my predecessor, Karen, retires at the end of June; but I already love the fast pace and positive patient interaction involved with this program.  Things with my Stampin' Up! business will be flexing a little bit until I get my new schedule down pat (we're covering for the other case manager who's on leave right now, too) but don't worry - I have lots of great things planned for the coming months!

OK.  This is ALL I can show you until June 1st.  The new catalog format is AMAZING.  That's all I can say without giving too much away.  I will be away in Seattle from May 31st to June 9th, BUT I WILL have the new catalogs available for you to pick up at my house beginning June 1st even though I won't be home :)  If you can't stop by, just email or phone me by May 30th & I will have my family drop your catalog in the mail on May 31st so you'll get it around June 1st or 2nd.

Alright, alright - ONE more sneak peek :)  The new re-configured ink pads are completely AWESOME.  I have no plans to replace my current ink pads - they're perfectly good (DON'T think you need to buy all new pads, you DON'T) - but I DID order the brand new 2012-14 In Colors, plus the remaining colors I didn't have yet to complete my collection.  The new firm foam pads give spectacular coverage, especially with solid stamps.  Here's a sample of the new In Colors, using the solid kite shape from Send Me Soaring.  Left to right, the new colors are: Midnight Muse, Gumball Green, Summer Starfruit, Primrose Petals and Raspberry Ripple:

Alright, that's all I can share for now!  Call or email me with your catalog preference - picking up or want it mailed.  I'll be having my new catalog launch party when I get back from Seattle with a special BOGO/retired sale, so look for details and your invitation in the mail soon!  That should give you plenty of time to get your wish list ready and shop til you drop!

Happy stampin'!

Jeni

Retired List - Accessories!

The retired accessories list is UP!  There's so much on the list, so if you have a favorite, order now - it's first come, first served!!  Classic ink pads and markers are NOT retiring - the ink pads are being reformulated & certain markers will just no longer be available to order individually.  If you have gaps in your marker set, you might want to get the missing ones now, though :)  If you have ANY questions about the retirement list, call me!

Happy stampin'!

Jeni

Gettin' My Crop On

My first monthly Crop Club class is coming up on Thursday!  Here's a little sneak peek of the 12" x 12" two-page layout we'll be doing using the Tea Time Simply Scrappin' Kit (122374, page 189 of the IB&C).  I've just recently discovered our Simply Scrappin' Kits and they're such a great bargain.  You get six 12" x 12" sheets of DSP (3 each of 2 different double-sided designs), eight 12" x 12" sheets of textured cardstock (2 sheets each of 4 different colors), and three 12" x 12" sheets of die cuts (2 each of 3 design sets), all for only $21.95!  These current kits will disappear as of May 31, so check them out quick before they're gone!

My club members will get to use the fun die cuts that come with this kit, but here I've simply punched out some shapes from coordinating cardstock to jazz up my pages.  Now, once I put some photos on these pages, I will journal and use my Cricut to cut out a title, too - of course using the coordinating DSP - I've got LOADS of it left from the kit!  I got the sketch from this blog and played around with it a little to suit the Tea Time DSP:

 (Whoops!  Too many layers in GIMP :P)  Left page!

 Right page.

Full layout.

I can't wait to share this layout with my Club!  If YOU'D like to start a Crop Club or a Card Club, call or email me and we can get started.  All you need is yourself and 3-5 friends to form a monthly Club, and then you all take turns being the Hostess & getting FREE stuff!  We can do it at my house or yours!  Sound like fun?  It is!

Happy stampin'!

Jeni

Retirement List is Up!

Click here to go to my website & shop now

The retiring stamp list is out, and WOW.  There are so many stamps and stamp sets to say goodbye to :(  BUT you know what that means . . . when the new catalog debuts on June 1st, there'll be exciting NEW stamps and sets to delight us!

If there's something you've been wanting though, get it by May 31st.  After that, it's gone forever!

Happy stampin'!

Jeni

Wondering About Classes?

Wonder no more!  We have FUN at my house :)  Here are a couple of photos from February's Birthday Stamp a Stack.  Aimee, Jeannette, Michele and Shari made a stack of 16 beautiful birthday cards and had a great time while creating (and enjoyed sugared shortbread cookies made with the Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps, too!!).  Does this look and sound like something YOU'D enjoy too??  Well, sign up for a class (or two!!)!!

 Shari, Aimee, and Jeannette (L-R) working on cards :)

Jeannette, Michele, and Shari (L-R) deep in creative concentration!

I guarantee a fun time to be had for all (especially ME, if I have to be truthful).  Whether it's one or six, there's room around my dining room table to bring out YOUR creative side - and plenty of room for cookies, too ;)

Happy stampin'!

Jeni



It's Spring, and Love is in the Air . . .

. . . for some of the young ladies I work with, that is!  I've been working on a design for a wedding card and the set Love & Laughter (wm 125475, $22.95; cm 125477, $17.95) is just perfect for bridal shower or wedding cards:

Pair it with the Wedding Words jumbo Wheel Stamp (125433, $8.50), and you've got some very pretty options:

Here's what I've come up with so far.  The bride's colors are closest to Elegant Eggplant and Wisteria Wonder, with silver accents.  Our Silver Glimmer paper is perfect to highlight the colors & I've even touched it up with a little bit of Dazzling Details (hard to see in the photos, sorry!!):

 Card & envelope

Close-up of card

What do you think so far?  I like it, but I think I want to do something fancier, maybe using the Framelits and Edgelits . . . we'll see!

Anyway, if you're interested in this sweet set and wheel, better get them soon!  The Occasions Mini is up on April 30 - only a few more weeks!

Happy stampin'!

Jeni

Quick & Easy Padfolio

While searching for an actual padfolio online (like from an office supply store) a few weeks ago, I came across instructions for this cute little project on Carole Mork's blog from 2009.  She credits the idea to a demo named Marian from 2001.  I thought I'd have a go at it & also try to make some instructions!

 Front of padfolio (closed)

 Padfolio inside - I used my craft knife to cut slits so I could add my business card :)

Back of padfolio

I tried to make a picture of sorts to give instructions:

The picture is kind of small :P  Here are the measurements:

Using an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of cardstock, line up your cardstock with the 11" side at the top of your Simply Scored tool.  Score at 5/8", 7/8" and 6".  If you have the Diagonal Plate, place it on the board , then place your cardstock back onto the board in the same way and score diagonally from the 6" line down to the end of your cardstock (on the right hand side).  Cut the corner away using your Paper Trimmer.  (Alternately, you can mark 3 1/2" from the top of your cardstock & trim the corner away using your Paper Trimmer.) 

Turn your cardstock so that the 8 1/2" side is at the top of the Simply Scored tool.  Score at 1/2". 

From the left of your 8 1/2" side, cut away the 1/2" flap to the 6" score.

Fold the flap inside that you cut the corner away from, fold up the 1/2" tab to the inside and adhere it to the inside front of the padfolio using Sticky Strip.  I inserted a cutting mat into this pocket, marked pencil lines at the corner of my business card, and cut slits in the front of the pocket.  (See photo above of padfolio opened up.)

Decorate the cover of your padfolio as desired.  I've used DSP from the new Summer Smooches collection and the Mixed Bunch set & Blossom punch from the Occasions Mini.  Adhere a 5" x 8" notepad to the 5/8" flap using Sticky Strip.  I also added some Daffodil Delight Seam Binding, but the padfolio stays nicely closed without it!

Isn't this cute?!  I think this would make a nice gift for your upline or downline, or even a useful favor for a bridal shower or party.  This literally took me less than 30 minutes to make, start to finish!  I'm sure someone much more creative than I am could adapt this to fit a full-size pad, but I'm about "stamped out" for today!!

Let me know what you think of this project :)

Happy stampin'!

Jeni