Another Swap

Here's another card I made for convention swaps.This was for another Stampin' Addicts organized swap, but in the New Catalog category this time. I sure do love coloring with the Stampin' Blendabilities markers, can you tell?

In fact, I love them so much, I've scheduled a free coloring class to show how they are different from our Stampin' Write Markers, and the different uses of all our coloring products! If you are interested, be sure to RSVP soon, because space is limited.

Notice the floral background paper? I stamped a different flower image from the I like You set in VersaMark ink on the cardstock to make my own patterned paper. It's a great way to make your own patterned paper, using supplies you have on hand, if you don't have just what you need in your Designer Series Paper!

STAMPS: I Like You (hostess set), Good Greetings (hostess set avail. later this year)

CARDSTOCK: Basic Black, Whisper White, Strawberry Slush, Gold Foil Sheets, Back to Black DSP

INK: Memento Tuxedo Black, VersaMark, plus Melon Mambo, Old Olive, Night of Navy, and Daffodil Delight Blendabilities Markers

ACCESSORIES: Big Shot, Bitty Banners Framelits, Hexagon Punch (banner end), Gold Sequin Trim, Gold Glitz Dazzling Details, Stampin' Dimensionals

A Swap Card

For the Stampin' Up! convention this year, I didn't go overboard on making swap cards, like I did last year. Thank goodness, because I had much less stress, which made the whole experience much more enjoyable! This is a card I made for on of the Stampin' Addicts organized swaps. I just love swapping with that group of stampers, because I know I will get amazing swaps back!

This was a "Something old, something new" swap. We were to use a stamp set that is current, but not new this year, and combine it with something that IS new, like DSP, or embellishments. I chose Papillon Potpourri for my something old, and the fabulously awesomely glimmery Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper. You just can't appreciate how beautiful this is unless you see it for yourself!

The greeting is from the hostess set called Let Your Hair Down.

I have more swaps to share over the next week or so. One of which I can't share yet because it's a Control Freaks swap, and my Freaky peeps haven't received it yet. Don't want to spoil the surprise! But I will say that Glimmer Paper was involved, and leave it at that.

STAMPS: Let Your Hair Down, Papillon Potpourri
CARDSTOCK: Whisper White, Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise, Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper
INK: Jet Black StazOn
ACCESSORIES: Big Shot, Perfect Polka-Dots embossing folder, Elegant Butterfly Punch

Swapping Fever!

It's the 25th anniversary of Stampin' Up! and it's going to be a PAR-TAY!!!  The Stampin' Up! 2013 Convention is less than two weeks away, and once again, my addiction to swaps overcame my good judgement I have signed up for (ahem) a few swaps. It is the best way to get lots of great ideas from other demonstrators, get samples of stamp sets you might not own (um yeah, haha), and get inspiration for new projects.

Sooooo anyway, over the next couple of weeks you will see some of the cards/projects that I'll be swapping at convention.

At this point I have nearly 200 pieces to complete (10 of this, 30 of that, 18 of the other, etc.) for the organized swaps I've joined, and I haven't even thought about what I'll be swapping "on the floor" with demos from around the world! I think I need an intervention to find a twelve step program before convention happens again next year because, obviously, I have a problem!

BTW, yesterday the man in brown came and delivered my Holiday catalog preorder. Holy schnikes were there some very shiny squirrels in there!!!

You'll be seeing some of THOSE goodies in the next couple of weeks, too. 

Stamps: Simply Sketched (hostess)
Cardstock: Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Gingham Garden DSP, Daffodil Delight DSP (Brights stack), Watercolor paper
Ink: Jet Black StazOn, Daffodil Delight, Pear Pizzazz
Accessories: Big Shot, Perfect Polka-Dots folder, Blender Pens, Brights Candy Dots, Vanilla Shimmer Smooch Spritz, Uni-Ball Signo White Gel Pen

More Convention Pics and a Swap

Of all the swap cards I've ever made, this one was probably the most difficult for me. Why, you ask? It's so simple, what can be so hard about it?

Well, that was the problem. If you know me, you know I like my cards like I like my cake...with lots of layers. The more, the merrier! This Stampin' Addicts organized swap was for a single layer card. No matting images, no popping things up on dimensionals, no DSP, none of the usual shtuff. So that is why I had the hardest time with this one. It kept looking so nekkid, like it needed something more!


Stamps: Serene Silhouettes, Fabulous Phrases
Cardstock: Shimmery White
Ink: Gumball Green (pad and marker), Raspberry Ripple (marker), Primrose Petals (marker), Bashful Blue (pad), Daffodil Delight (pad), Basic Black (pad and marker)
Accessories: Big Shot, Delicate Designs embossing folder, Rhinestones Basic Jewels, Stampin' Sponges

More display boards from Convention. Enjoy!

Some Convention Pics and Swaps

Here are a couple of the Stampin' Addicts organized swap cards I took to the Stampin' Up! convention, along a few of the display boards. Oh, momma, there was some uh-MAZing creativity displayed there, worth the price of admission even without all the freebies we received (more on that later).

The Champagne Glimmer ornament was cut with the Holiday Ornaments Framelits die, and the E.E. heat embossed ornament was fussy-cut, leaving the lovely glimmer paper border showing.

Christmas Card
Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, More Merry Messages
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Champagne Glimmer Paper, Soft Suede DSP
Ink: VersaMark, Early Espresso
Accessories: Big Shot, Holiday Ornaments Framelits, Lacy Brocade embossing folder, Heat Tool, Early Espresso Stampin' Emboss Powder, Boho Blossoms Punch, Itty Biity Shapes Punch Pack, Pearls Basic Jewels, Stampin' Dimensionals

Butterfly Card
Stamps: Serene Silhouettes, Papillon Potpourri, Pursuit of Happiness
Cardstock: Whisper White, Early Espresso, Tangerine Tango DSP
Ink: Basic Black, Early Espresso, Daffodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories: Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, Elegant Butterfly Punch, Modern Label Punch, 2-1/2" Circle Punch (mask), Early Espresso Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Pearls Basic Jewels, Dazzling Details, Stampin' Sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals

I'll be posting more of the swaps and display boards in the days ahead. And pictures of some of the lovely people I met, as well. (Justin Wilson, You Crew member, you made my day!!!)

CASEing Rosalie's Swaps

My upline, Rosalie, is at the Stampin' Up! Leadership Conference as I write this, and I am sooooo bummed I didn't go. This is the first year I've qualified, but I had to choose between Leadership or Convention in July. So I'm sitting here at home, feeling sorry for myself, when I see all the fabulous fun they are having in San Antonio.

This card is pretty much a direct CASE of the swaps Rosalie made to take to Leadership. She made 100 of them! The only thing I did differently was the greeting, and instead of the Small Heart Punch, I used the smaller heart from the Owl Builder Punch. Isn't it fab?!

Oh!  And the SU roving reporters have been posting pictures on Facebook, and in one of them a demo is holding up one of Rosalie's swaps! They're famous!

Stamps: You're My Type
Cardstock: Basic Black,Whisper White, Basic Gray DSP (Neutrals Collection Pack)
Ink: Jet Black Staz-On, Real Red Classic
Accessories: Real Red 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Gold Brad, Owl Builder Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

SA Swaps

In addition to an open forum for anyone who loves Stampin' Up!, Stampin' Addicts has a section that is just for demonstrators. (You can't get in unless someone tells you the super-secret handshake.) 

And one of the thing we demos like to do is swap card fronts with other demos, when we get to pre-order from the upcoming catalogs.  Being a swap junkie, naturally I signed up for a couple swaps that were due the week before Christmas.  The. Week. Before. Christmas.  What was I thinking?!

Thankfully, I only signed up for two swaps this time (I've been known to commit to 6-8 swaps, plus blog hops), so I managed to get them done without too much stress. This card is for the 2012 Occasions Mini Swap.


Stamps: Mixed Bunch (available 1/4), Word Play
Cardstock: Island Indigo, Twitterpated DSP (available 1/4)
Ink: Island Indigo Classic (I know - I need to re-ink my pad)
Accessories: Blossom Punch (available 1/4), Big Shot, Elegant Bouquet embossing folder, Old Olive 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Lucky Limeade 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon, Tempting Turquoise button (Brights Collection)

Next year, would somebody please come kick my behind if I sign up for swaps during the holidays?