Love You Much

Now that the Christmas season is in full swing, you are probably thinking about the next holiday for making projects, right? Of course it is Valentine's Day! Stampin' Up! is ahead of the game and has come out with a GREAT promotion for Valentine's day projects.

Click here to see the details to the Love You Much Promotion. $41.48 for the entire bundle (stamp set, designer paper, and heart punch).

Stampin' Up! Retirement List

The Stampin' Up! Retirement list has been posted!

These stamp sets will be available until January 18 -- BUT they are all discounted by 10% until December 23 only!

Also, if your order is over $70 you get FREE SHIPPING!

Click the links below to see the lists in different formats (alphabetical, numerical by page number, and a special list of our sets that are 10% off)

10 % Off List (valid until December 23)
Alphabetical List
Numerical by Page Number

Contact me to order your retiring sets at mengels@verizon.net. I am also running a personal special, but to get this you must email me your order instead of using my website. Please see the post below for details on my December Personal Special.

Karen

Christmas Cardinal Sample

Stamps: A Cardinal Christmas

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Riding Hood Red, Watercolor Paper

Ink: Black Staz-On, Riding Hood Red, Bravo Burgandy, Kiwi Kiss, Old Olive, Mustard, Close to Cocoa, Turquoise, Caramel

Accessories: Top Notes Die, Watercolor brush (not aquapainter but real brushes), Crystal Effects, Satin Ribbon ( Kiwi/ Vanilla )

Thanks to Andrea for this wonderful sample!

Cards For Soldiers

Want to send a card to a hero? The Red Cross is sponsoring a program called Holiday Mail for Heroes. All cards must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Cards sent after this date will be returned to sender.

Holiday Mail for Heroes
POBox 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

You can go to this website to read all the rules and see a wonderful video. http://www.redcross.org/email/saf/

Details:
Holiday Mail for Heroes is a partnership between the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes to deliver one million holiday cards to American service members, veterans and their families in the United States and around the world. Please send cards to this address, following the guidelines listed below:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
PO Box 5456Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

You can also:
Download and print a free card.
Learn about other ways to participate.
Get the latest news about Holiday Mail for Heroes.
Watch a video from Red Cross Celebrity Cabinet Members Dr. Phil and Nancy O'Dell.

Please follow these simple guidelines when sending your card to ensure it will quickly reach service members, veterans and their families.
All cards must be postmarked no later than Wednesday, December 10, 2008. Cards sent after this date will be returned to sender.
If sending more than one card, please mail all cards together in one large shipping envelope. Cards sent in this manner do not need individual envelopes or postage.
Please ensure that all cards are signed.
Please use generic salutations such as “Dear Service Member.”
Please do not include personal information, like email or home addresses.
Please do not send letters.
Please do not include inserts of any kind, including photos, glitter, confetti, gift cards or calling cards. Any items inserted into cards will be removed during the reviewing process.

All cards received may be used in program publicity efforts, including appearing in broadcast, print or online mediums.

Fall Winter Sampler Promotion

Dec. 1 - January 18

In the Fall Winter Sampler Promotion, spend $20 and get 20% off any stamp set from the Fall Winter Sampler Catalog. To see the Sampler Catalog, click the link below:

http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/Sampler_US.pdf

Personal Special

Karen's SU (personal) Special - Now through December 30

Now through December 9
-Purchase $25 (pre tax and shipping) in merchandise from the catalog or current mini catalog and receive a FREE Snail Adhesive

-Purchase $50 (pre tax and shipping) in merchandise from the catalog or current mini catalog and receive a FREE Snail Adhesive AND 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon of your choice

December 10 through December 30
-Purchase $25 (pre tax and shipping) in merchandise from the catalog or current mini catalog and receive a FREE 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon of your choice (pg 186)

-Purchase $50 (pre tax and shipping) in merchandise from the catalog or current mini catalog and receive a FREE pack of Cardstock (8 1/2x11) - choose from In Colors, Bold Brights, Earth Elements, Rich Regals or Soft Subtles (single color only)

Holiday Extravaganza SU Sale (up to 50% off)

For a short time only....now through Dec. 1, Stampin' Up! is having a great sale. Click on the link below to see the flyer listing the bundles at up to 50% off.

http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/bundles_US.pdf

The Holiday Season Is Coming

Have you thought about your Holiday Cards yet? Now is the time to order your cardstock, inks, and embellishments to make those cards! Don't delay!!

This card was made with the Season of Joy and Merry and Bright stamp sets. Baja Breeze cardstock and ink. The cute little snowflakes are heat embossed with silver powder (using versamark ink). Add a few punched corners and some ribbon and you've got a simple, yet beautiful holiday card.

Please remember when you order to allow 2 weeks for your product to arrive. It usually does not take that long, but it depends on how busy the folks are at SU headquarters in Utah.

November Specials

Welcome to November! Sorry I haven't posted in a while. We decided to take the kids to Florida and take advantage of the days they had off from school. We left on Oct. 31 and returned on Nov. 9th. So I am just now catching up on my blog and letting you know of a new Stampin' Up! promotion that just started on November 10th.

Rub Ons Promotion - Nov. 10-30 (click for the PDF Flyer)
Get 20% off any Rub On when you buy $20 of other Stampin' Up! products.

Call me today for your order, or visit my Stampin' Up! website to place an order online!

Birthday Promo Almost Over

The Stampin Up birthday promotion ends on Oct. 31! Don't forget to place your order before then on these FABULOUS birthday products!! You can email me directly ONLY through Oct. 30. I cannot accept any email orders on Oct. 31. I will not have access to email that day.

You can order any time directly through my Stampin' Up! Website. (link is on the left of this page)

Here's the flyer for the Birthday Promotion.

Boo!

Happy almost halloween! This is a special day for our family because it also happens to be my nephew's birthday. He's turning 15 this year, so he's out of the trick or treat phase, but it's still a fun day.

This card uses the House of Haunts stamp set and the Canvas background.

This is a photo from Halloween last year. (my 11 year old son)

Baroque Motif Card

I love the Baroque Motifs stamp set, and I can see a lot of potential for this card as a holiday card. You can even change the color scheme, although I like the blues and whites (reminds me of snow and winter).

This card uses brocade blue and whisper white inks and cardstock. Add a few punches and a little glitter and viola...a simple holiday card.

If you change the brocade blue to real red and keep the whisper white I think it would also be pretty.

I hope you enjoy this sample...more holiday ideas to come on my blog.

Harvest Time

When I saw this card by fellow demonstrator Sabrina, I thought of a local Pumkin Patch near us called Great Country Farms. For many years (preschool through younger elementary school) my kids went there every fall for a field trip. Now, my daughter and husband attend a father/daughter girl scout event there every October. It's a really fun place with lots of happy memories for us. I hope you get to go somewhere fun this fall!

Supplies for this card:

Stamp Set: Harvest Home

Ink: Really Rust, Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Ruby Red and Pumpkin Pie

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Really Rust, Basic Black, Kiwi Kiss

Accessories: Basic Black Grosgrain ribbon, Blender Pens, Aqua Painters, Dimentionals

Enjoy!

Fall/Winter Hostess Promotion

October 1 - November 30, 2008

Host a $350 workshop or book party and the hostess will receive a FREE set from the Fall/Winter Sampler Book.



Fall/Winter Sampler brochure

List of stamp sets in the brochure:

Happy 20th Birthday Stampin' Up!

To celebrate Stampin' Up!'s 20th birthday there's a new BIRTHDAY PROMOTION!

October 1-31 - Spend $20 in regular catalog merchandise and qualify to purchase any preselected birthday/celebration stamp sets at 20 perent off.

Contact me today to place your order - or you can order directly from my Stampin' Up! website!

Birthday Promotion Flyer

Halloween Card

As promised, here's a fall card! This very easy card was created with the Batty For You stamp set, the Creepy Crawly Designer Series paper, and pumkin pie ribbon and cardstock.

October will be here before you know it! Get ready to put your halloween projects together soon!

Karen

Dreams Du Jour

Another card showcasing our new "In Colors" for 08-09. This card uses Red Riding Hood, Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango and Kiwi Kiss cardstock. Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss and Red Riding Hood ink.

The stamp sets are Dreams Du Jour and Wow Flowers.

Can you tell I like butterflies? I promise I'll try to get into the Fall mood and start posting some Fall samples soon.

I hope you are having a wonderful end of September. It's busy here in the Mengel household as usual. Stay tuned for the new Holidy Mini ordering period beginning on Wednesday, Oct. 1st!!

Open House Rescheduled

Due to many people being busy with the local Oktoberfest, I'm going to reschedule my open house and stamp class planned for 9/26. Stay tuned for a new date!

Crazy for Cupcakes

So, can you think of anyone that is NOT crazy for cupcakes? (smile) This is such an adorable stamp set.

It's brand new to the Fall catalog (which means it is die cut - no trimming before mounting!)

Check out this set on Page 64, #111618, $23.95

New Video on Big Shot

Check out this training video on how to use the Big Shot!
http://www.stampinup.com/us/enu/11120_11851.asp

Enjoy!
Karen

Holiday Mini Catalog

Check out the Holiday Mini Catalog on-line!!

http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/HolidayMini_08_US.pdf

Contact me starting October 1st for ordering these great products!

Don't forget the BIG SHOT is in this catalog along with the exclusive SU dies.

Enjoy!

Karen

Outside of the Box

You'll see the similarity in these cards with the one from the previous post. While I was making the cards for the new catalog swap, I decided to try the same design in softer colors. I really like the way they turned out. I think my favorite is this pretty in pink/certainly celery combo (bashful blue ink).

When making new projects, you don't always have to go with traditional colors. In fact, some of the most beautiful projects have been made by "accident" or by just thinking out of the box when combining colors.

Colors: Bashful Blue/Certainly Celery

Enjoy!

Karen

Why are you thinking about snow?

"Why are you thinking about snow?" This is the question my 9 year old daughter asked me as she watched me create this card for a swap. Good question, huh? (smile) When I was in Costco the other day, I saw that they already had Christmas decorations out, so I'm not the only one thinking about snow! I made this card for a "new catalog swap". I chose this set (Deer Friends) because, even though it is August, you can't get started on your Christmas card ideas

too early.

Wouldn't it be nice to be totally done making your Christmas cards early, so when the holiday gets closer you can concentrate on other things like shopping, wrapping, baking and not being out of your mind thinking of all the things you need to do? So you see, that's why I'm thinking about snow in August. Look for this card in one of my upcoming Christmas card workshops at my house.

The second image shows that when you pull the tab, a surprise tag come out. I just thought the card needed a little something else to make it special. Also, it's hard to see from the scan, but the snowman in the middle is cut out and a dimentional is used to make him pop out.

Supplies:

Stamp Sets: Deer Friends, Seasonal Icons

Ink: Night of Navy (craft), versamark (snowflake on tab)

Paper: Real Red, Very Vanilla, Night of Navy

Accessories: 1 1/4 circle punch, scallop punch, round tab punch, night of navy ribbon, scallop edge punch, scissors, natural hemp twine, sticky strip, dimentionals, Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive

Enjoy!

Karen

Featured Stamp Set - Garden Whimsy

Garden Whimsy - set of 8
product #109290
Page 93 Fall-Winter 2008 IBC
$23.95

Don't forget to view my SPECIAL at the bottom of this post!


Today I'm featuring the stamp set Garden Whimsy (product #109290). The set comes with 8 stamps, including this darling butterfly used in this card. It also has a ladybug, tulip, snail, larger butterfly, 2 verses (one curved and one regular) and 2 tiny little bugs. (In this card, the "Wonderful Words" stamp set was used for the word "Friendship" ). This lovely card, inspired by Lucy A. makes use of all of our new IN COLORS for 08-09. See how great they look together?

Supplies for this card:
Stamps: Garden Whimsy, Wonderful Words
Ink: Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, Tangerine Tango, Pink Pirouette, Basic Black
Paper: Pacific Point, Whisper White, Basic Black
Accessories: Punch Oval Small, Punch Oval Large, Crafter's Tool Kit, Metallic Eyelets, 2 way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, stamping sponges

Email me to purchase this set today at 10% off!! Purchase this stamp set plus another product of your choice (accessory, punches, ink, paper, etc...) and receive 15% off of your entire order. Offer good Aug. 28 - Aug. 31. This is a personal special not offered by other SU demonstrators.

Enjoy!
Karen
mengels@verizon.net

Birthday wishes for Pop

Click on photo to see bigger picture.

I made a little photo book of our beach vacation photos for my Father-In-Law's birthday. (Don't worry, I don't think he reads this BLOG so the surprise won't be ruined - smile!) I printed out the pictures I wanted in wallet size, then cut my cardstock (retired soft sky) 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" (standard invitation card size). I scored each page at 3/4" and saved that space to use as a binding.

I used up a lot of my retired "Ginger Blossoms" Designer Series Paper scraps for this book. My main coordinating color was my favorite....chocolate chip!!

I'm thinking this would make a great class! I literally put this together in 2 days, but that included all the cutting, finding and printing the pictures, figuring out what embellishments to use, etc... If I had all this pre-cut and organized I'm sure we could do it in a few hours!! What do you think?

Enjoy!

Karen

Last Days Of Summer

I've been enjoying my summer and I've had several really fun trips. I haven't posted to my blog as much as I would have liked. I thought I'd share a couple of pictures from my summer.

This first picture is of my 2 kids (the 2 on the ends) and my sister's kids (2 in the middle). They get along great and had a blast spending a week together at the beach in June.

This is a picture of my husband Dave and our 2 kids.

One more, this one was from our 2nd trip, this time with Dave's side of the family. Here are my 2 kids with their younger cousins. Does it look like the same beach? That's because it is!! We go back to the same exact place with both families....that how much we love it down in Hatteras, NC.

More stamping related posts to come soon! Thanks for letting me share my family!!

My New SU Website

I'm pleased to announce that I have a Stampin' Up! website! Here's the address:
http://karenmengel.stampinup.net

I made the decision to sign up for an "official" SU website for 2 reasons. The biggest reason is that starting this fall, you will be able to go directly to my website and place an order on-line! Don't get me wrong - I love the communication with all of you, but sometimes you just get the urge to go out and place an order, and now you don't have to wait for me. You can shop and buy at 2am if you want!! As an added benefit, this also eliminates the need for me to see/handle your credit card information. Increased security is always a good thing. As soon as I know the date they will turn on this feature, I'll let you know.

The second reason is the ability for you to sign up to be a demonstrator right on my website! (just click the JOIN STAMPIN UP! link). And what a better time, since we are running our promotion for a $99 starter kit through October 11!

Please go check it out and let me know what you think! Comments are always welcome.

Karen

The Catalog Has Arrived

It's here....at it is fabulous from cover to cover. Wow!

To get yours, contact me at mengels@verizon.net . For only $5 it can be in your hands!!

Don't forget retiring sets and accessories are only available for a couple more days....Sunday, Aug 10 is the deadline (or while supplies last). Retiring accessories are almost sold out. Get yours while you can.

Did you see the announcement about SU partnering with Sizzix to offer the Big Shot and exclusive dies? See the brochure for more info. DON'T MISS THIS!! The excluse dies are AMAZING!!

BIG SHOT BROCURE

Stay tuned for OPEN HOUSE information.

Karen

New Catalog Info

I'm as anxious as everyone else to see the new catalog. SU decided to NOT send their demonstrators their copy (or any that have been ordered for customers) until after the convention. So even though I have not seen it yet (sigh!) I've got some news about the great stuff inside.

Here's the "Sampler" of the new catalog.

Items from past mini catalogs that made it into the new catalog
Holy Triptych stamp set
Tart and Tangy stamp set
One of a Kind stamp set
Bloomin' Beautiful stamp set
Summer Picnic designer series paper
A Perfect Day Rub-ons
Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware
Mini Library Clips
Chunky Sprinkles Glitter
Die Cut Blooms

Items we've seen before but small changes have been made
-An additional set of Die Cut blooms in baja breeze, very vanilla, close to cocoa, & kiwi kiss
-Carousel Notes in ruby red, kiwi kiss & baja breeze. The envelopes are still Chocolate Chip
-Scallop Notes in pink pirouette, baja breeze, & chocolate chip with very vanilla envelopes
-Gift notes in kiwi kiss, riding hood red, & kraft
-*Textured* love notes in tangerine tango, bashful blue & old olive
-Green Tea designer series paper--same print as Ginger Blossom DSP except the colors are changed to old olive, certainly celery, & baja breeze
-Junior Varsity designer series paper--same print as East Coast Prep DSP except the colors are changed to rose red, old olive, bashful blue & so saffron
-Pina Colada simply scrappin' kit--same print and design as the Summer Days simply scrappin kit except the colors are changed to riding hood red, tangerine tango, old olive & so saffron
-Flower Fusion--we still have the first set, but they've added another set of flowers in pink pirouette, baja breeze, & chocolate chip (yeah!)
-Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware--just like the silver styled hodgepodge hardware except with a vanilla colored finish


Ribbon Here are the new colors added to what we already have. We no longer sell any packs of ribbon origionals.
--1/4 " grosgrain--added Rose Red, Sage Shadow, Old Olive, & Chocolate Chip
--1 1/4" Pink Pirouette Grosgrain ribbon
--7/8" So Saffron Poly-twill ribbon
--3/8" Kiwi Kiss/Very Vanilla Satin ribbon--very vanilla on one side and kiwi kiss on the other
--Riding Hood Red Taffeta ribbon
--1" Double-stitched Grosgrain ribbon (this looks like the wide Rose Red grosgrain ribbon that is currently in the Fairy Tale ribbon originals)--Rose Red, Baja Breeze, Bashful Blue, Chocolate Chip. The stitching is white.
--5/8" Striped Grosgrain ribbon (this looks just like the black ribbon with the two white strips going down the middle that's in the Jersey Ribbon Originals)--riding hood red, pink pirouette, baja breeze, pacific point, kiwi kiss, tangerine tango. The stripes are white.


New Punches
--Scalloped Edge
--1 3/4" Circle
--Wide Oval
--Scalloped Square
--Curly Label Punch Box--the punch looks like this { } on all four sides. It comes with a set of four stamps.

BIG news for August

While I was away at the beach last week, there were some major announcements made in the Stampin' Up! community. Each year SU hosts a convention where they unveil the new catalog and announce the new products and promotions for the upcoming year. THIS year was a BIG one, because we are celebrating our 20th year as a company. Here are a few of the big announcements:

-Stampin' Up! has partnered with Sizzix to sell the Big Shot die cutting machine and EXCLUSIVE SU die-cuts made to coordinate with our products.

-All new stamps in the new Fall 2008 Catalog will be die-cut (you don't have to trim the extra rubber when you mount them). Note this does not apply to stamp sets that are returning from the previous catalog.

-Starting Aug. 11 there is a new 15% off promotion
From August 11 through September 30, you can get
never-before-seen savings on never-before-seen stamps. Receive a 15 percent discount on preselected, brand-new stamp sets--no additional purchase necessary!

(click on image to enlarge)

For a Good Cause

I have a few blogs that I check out often, and I came across one tonight that I wanted to share with you. Even though I've never met Dannie, I can just tell that she is a nice person. She has a post on her blog about her brother, a marine in Afghanistan, that needs some birthday wishes while he's far from home. So if you have some extra time before Aug. 9th, please send Dannie a card to send to her brother (not blank cards for him to send back, but birthday cards TO him). Check out her blog here. Here's the card I'm sending her brother.

I took a piece of old olive cardstock and sponged brown and black to get the camo look. The stars are punched with SU's large and small star punches. The eyelets are from SU too (retired). The marine insignia I bought on-line. I have a good friend at work that has a young marine about to be deployed. I know I will be making her and her son lots of cards to lift their spirits while he is in Iraq. Inside this card, I stamped the words "my hero", which is from another retired SU stamp set.

I was excited to be able to make a difference in this man's birthday. I sure hope you can find time to send a card their way too.

Karen

Updated Retiring Accessories

I just updated the retiring accessories list in the post below. Any items in red are no longer available.

2007-08 "In Colors"

Click on the image of the colors for a larger view.

This is just a quick post to let you know that the lovely "In Colors" that are about to retire are starting to go out of stock. You can no longer buy the Blue Bayou Double Stitched Ribbon, or the Purely Pomegranate Double Stitched Ribbon. If you want to stock up on In Color items before they retire, you should place your order ASAP! Once they are out of stock, they are gone forever.

Fresh Cut Notes

Remember the Fresh Cuts Sneak Peek from June? (see post from June 1) Mine arrived and I was just blown away. I knew I'd like it, because I like ALL things by SU, but I was truly surprised at the versatility of this set along with the pre-cut notecards.

This beautiful card (inspired by Jennifer T.) is a perfect example. This card could be used for birthday, get well, thank you, or even sympathy.

When the new catalog comes out, you'll have the opportunity to purchase this set. Now, I bet you can't wait after seeing this sample. (smile)

Supplies:

Stamps: Fresh Cut

Paper: Fresh Cut Notecards, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke

Ink: Always Artichoke classic ink

Accessories: rich regals brads, Boho punch, taffeta mellow moss 3/8" ribbon

One of a kind

Hello again! I hope your July 4th was a happy one! My family and I celebrated on the third with the local parade (my kids were on the swim team float that won first place!). Then we stayed in town for the festivities, which included rock climbing walls, moon bounces, and lots of yummy food. Then the fireworks came at 9:30, which were impressive for a small town. We were lucky to celebrate on the third, because July 4th ended up being a rainy day here.

I thought I would share this cute card using the "One of a Kind" stamp set. I just love these colors and the way the flower was made (I didn't design this one myself. A very talented fellow demonstrator designed it and I just had to copy it!)

Enjoy!

July SU News

July is here and Stampin' Up! has some new specials for you. Here are the details:

25% Hodgepodge Hardware Discount: July 1 - August 10 (regular $27.95)
Aged Copper now $20.96
Pewter now $20.96
Antique Brass now $20.96

Decor Elements: a new product line introduced by Stampin' Up!
Self adhesive vinal decorations for your home that coordinate with the Definitely Decorative product line.
Check out the Designs and Brochure for Decor Elements.
Check out this Video about Decor Elements and how to apply them to your walls

Retired List:
Don't forget that many products are about to be gone forever. Check out the retired list and hurry to get your order to me before they are gone.
Retired List Alphabetical
Retired List Numerical

July 15...Retired accessories list will be announced. Stay tuned!

Have a happy and save July 4th weekend!!

Tart and Tangy

My family and I just got back from a much needed vacation at the Outer Banks. We had a great time and the beach was sunny and wonderful. When I saw this card (the original was by Cheryl Elenbaas) this just reminded me of those sunny days on the beach!

Supplies:

Stamp Sets - Tart and Tangy, Everyday Flexible Phrases

Cardstock - green galore, pretty in pink, whisper white, vellum cardstock

Ink - green galore, pretty in pink

Accessories - Dazzling Diamonds glitter, sticky strip, mini glue dots, 1 1/4" circle punch, bendy straw, stamping sponges

Priceless

It's official. School is out for the summer. Whew!

I'm celebrating by stamping!! Here's a card I CASEd from our SU Stampers Showcase. Enjoy the sample!

Stamp Set: Priceless

Hello Long Lost Friends!

Has it really been 2 weeks since I have posted?! The whirlwind of activity is finally starting to slow down. We are celebrating the last day of school tomorrow!! This past weekend was just crazy...amazing but crazy. On Friday my brother graduated from college in Roanoke, VA (about 4 hours away from our house). Then my dad's birthday was Saturday, along with my son's playoff baseball game. We drove back from Roanoke to be at the game by 2pm. Sunday was Father's day along with a celebration for my niece's 1st birthday. Um...was there a weekend in there somewhere? At least this gave me the excuse to make (MANY) handmade cards for these occasions. (smile)

Onto more fun things....
The retiring list just came out...so I'm posting the link HERE. You can see it in either alphabetical order or by catalog page number.

ONLY until June 29 I will be offering 10% off on any retiring set. Help me meet my quarterly quota... so I can remain a demonstrator. It's been a bit of a dismal quarter. Money is tight for everyone and we all are spending more for necessities instead of fun things.

Contact me anytime! Don't forget I take debit and credit cards. Money is due at the time that the order is placed - no exceptions.

I hope you are enjoying the beginning of your summer! Happy stamping!!

Retiring List

Usually about this time of year I would be posting the Stampin' Up! retired list. This year, SU has decided to extend the current catalog into August (Aug. 10th), so the retired list will not be announced until June 15th.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with what that means, SU puts out a list every year of the stamp sets that will not be returning to the next catalog. After the current catalog expires, these sets will no longer be available for purchase. SU also has something called the dormant list. These are sets that are not in the catalog, but are still for sale. If you are looking for a set that is not in the catalog, be sure you check the dormant list.

Any stamp set that was brand new in the current Spring catalog will not be retired, but may be on the dormant list. Since the focus of the new fall catalog will be on holidays (fall, harvest, Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's Day) don't be surprised if some of the spring and summery sets are on the dormant list.

It's always fun to anticipate what will be in the new catalog. I'm sure we'll be in for some wonderful surprises. If you would like to PRE-ORDER the new catalog just let me know (email to mengels@verizon.net). The cost is only $5 (50% off) and it is full of inspiring ideas for our stamps and accessories.

The current Dormant List is available at this link:
http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/US_dormantlist_2008.pdf
(these are stamp sets and wheels that are not in the SPRING catalog, but are for sale now)

Enjoy your Monday!

June Has Arrived ...along with 2 new specials!

Oh Boy... has June arrived! The countdown until school ends has begun (June 17th is the magic day). My kids are really ready for summer....and I am ready for NO MORE HOMEWORK for 2 and a half glorious months. Sigh....

Now that June is here, I have a few new promotions to announce. Stampin' Up is now offering 2 specials. ESCAPE 2008 and Fresh Cut Sneak Peek. The Escape 2008 is offering a bundle of products at 25% off! The Fresh Cut Sneak Peek is allowing you to order 2 new products that won't be officially offered until the new catalog comes out in August. Check out these 2 new promotions!

Just a quick word about the birthday card above....Isn't it fun? I found this on Stampers Showcase and had to CASE it. For those of you who have not heard that term, it means Copy And Share Everything. Thanks to those who share and give the rest of us inspiration.

12% Special

In honor of my son's 12th birthday, I'm running a special until the end of the month of May. You get 12% off merchandise ordered. Discount taken after shipping and taxes are applied.

Enjoy!

Grad Card

Just a quick post tonight....

It's that time of year for graduations. We've got one in my family too. My brother is about to graduate from college! We are so proud of him. Congrats Chris!!

I CASED this grad card from the Stampin' Up demonstrator website (the talented Joan Hartman). This would work great for a male or female grad. If you are looking to make a grad card, I hope this will give you some inspiration. Enjoy!

Don't forget to check out my blog tomorrow. I will be posting a BLOG only special in honor of my son's birthday!!

A Guy Card...

Good Morning, Here's just a quick post to share a card that I made for my brother-in-law's birthday. I guess I've been really into the soft sky and chocolate chip combination lately. I definitely could not live without my Cuttlebug!

We're off to church, then to the Pitch, Hit and Run (a local baseball fun competition). Another busy day in store for the family.....

Happy Friday!

Another rainy day here in Northern VA.... We've had an interesting week starting with downpours of rain last Sunday (Mother's Day) and into Monday. It washed out roads, closed some area schools, flooded basements (luckily not ours!!) and generally caused havoc closing roads and creating commuting headaches. I'm hoping the baseball and soccer fields will drain and be ready for games tomorrow.

I didn't want to make it another week before I posted, so I'm squeezing this in on Friday. (smile) Don't forget about the awesome SU May specials going on until the end of the month. Check my left side notes for my May ordering dates.

Since I can't leave you without some kind of sample, I posted this one. I CASED it from another talented gal a while ago. I don't like to think of the occasion where we need such a card, but unfortunately we all do at some point.

Have a great weekend!

2 In One Day

I guess I'm making up for not posting for a week by posting twice in one day!

Here's a card a made as a sample for a friend. She asked me for ideas for a Thank You card to give to the people that donated for her to walk in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. The only directions I had were it must have lots of PINK. It's hard to tell in this scan, but the base card is "pretty in pink", then there's the black layer, then the pink passion layer. I thought you might enjoy seeing it too!

Supplies:

Stamp Set: Wonderful Words

Cardstock: pretty in pink, basic black, pink passion

Ink: basic black

Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/4" circle punch, Boho Blossoms Punch, Crop-A-Dile II Big Bite, Metallic Eyelets

Non-SU supplies: Cuttlebug A2 Die "Thank You", sanding block

I'm Still Here

I know it's been over a week since I posted! I guess you can tell I've had a busy week. My husband was on travel for a couple of days, which left me to be a single mom of 2 busy kids. On top of that, I went on a third grade field trip, organized the parents of all the girlscouts to give a gift to our GS leaders, AND one of the kids ended up sick (not to mention I work full time). I'm taking the day OFF on Mother's Day! So enough excuses....I do have a fabulous sample to make up for being MIA for a week. (smiles)

Here's a card I created that has really come in handy. I've used it for the 3 girl scout leaders for their thank you card. I used it to give to my daughter's teacher for Staff Appreciation Week. It was one of my projects in my last class on May 4, and I'm also giving it to my mother-in-law for Mother's Day. I've gotten some serious mileage out of this one! Enjoy!

Supplies:

Stamp Set: Phrases for a Friend

Cardstock: Textured Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip, Afternoon Tea DSP

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Vintage Brads, Mat Pack, dimentionals, Boho Blossoms Punch

(NON SU SUPPLIES: Cuttlebug A2 Die Swirls, Jumbo Paper Clip)

Life's Still a Breeze!

Kari Mason was kind enough to provide another sample of her "Life's A Breeze" card. Notice the ribbon is different, and she used a different side of the Jersey Shore Designer Series Paper. Look at the cute little shell in the corner!

I love how you can do so many different thing with the Designer Series Paper. You can really change up a project easily without even changing the design. So EASY!

Thanks Kari!

Welcome May!

Only a month and a half left of school (and the dreaded homework!). I know my kids are counting down the days until June 17! But we have to get through SOLS first. Those are the standardized tests that the students take at the end of the year. It's a huge deal here. Can't wait for it to be over....and we survived our first year with a kid in middle school!

Okay, on to more fun things! Stampin' Up! has some new MAY ONLY promotions!!

-Hodgepodge Recruiting Promotion - For the month of May, recruits get 20% off their starter kit AND a FREE Hodgepodge Hardware Kit

-Get On Board with CHIPBOARD! - Spend $35 on any Stampin' Up! product and receive 25% off all chipboard products

-Cutting Combo Pack - Buy the Cutting Mat and get a Hobby Blade for FREE!

Don't Forget to Register

My May 4 class is around the corner. Don't forget to pre-register and pre-pay to receive the discount. I have a few slots left if you are still interested.

Come out and make some cute Mother's Day cards and projects. Class details are below.

When: Sunday, May 4
Where: At my house (let me know if you need directions)
Time: 2-4pm
Cost: $15 pre-paid by May 2 - or $20 at the door.
RSVP BY: MAY 2 even if you decide to pay at the door.

Policy on Children: Children over 10 can register as an adult (full price).
-Any participating children will be expected to be able to make the projects with minimal assistance and will need to be respectful of the adult attendees and property (including all items used for the workshop). Treat yourself to a Mom's afternoon out.

What's provided: Everything you need to create the projects, snacks, and door prizes
Note: Gluesticks will be used for our projects. You can bring your own adhesive and/or tools if you would like. Any special adhesive needed for projects will also be provided (ex. sticky strip, glue dots, etc...)

Class is limited to 10 so sign up right away! Email me at mengels@verizon.net to sign up and arrange for payment.

If you leave a comment on this post AND attend my May 4 class you will receive a special gift from me.

Happy Friday! I wanted to share this GORGEOUS card with you. No, I didn't make it, but the the talented Pamela Sanchez did! She gave me permission to share this with you. Thanks Pamela!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Life's a Breeze

Isn't this card cute? It makes me think of summer. It's hard to see on the scanned image, but the flip flops have glitter on them. It really adds some pizazz to the card. I received this card from Kari Mason. This was her card for the April Card of the Month Club swap. I asked her if I could post this because I do not own the Life's a Breeze stamp set, or the Jersey Shore Designer Series Paper that she used. I know, is it possible that I don't own a stamp set? My husband would not think so!

Kari also wanted me to mention that she got her inspiration for this card from a fellow stamper, Ronda Wade. So thanks for sharing Kari!


Supplies:
Stamp set: Life's A Breeze
Cardstock: Brilliant Blue, Bashful Blue, Jersey Shore DSP, Pumpkin Pie (for scallop circle), Whisper white
Ink: Brilliant Blue (sandals), Craft Whisper White for "Life's a Breeze" sentiment
Accessories: pumpkin pie striped grosgrain ribbon, 2 way glue, dazzling diamonds glitter, scallop circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch

Personal Special

Now through April 26th - 15% off merchandise ordered from the catalog! No minimum order.

I hinted that I would be running a blog only special in April, and here it is. If you want to take advantage of this special, please have your order and payment to me by April 26.

There are 3 April only Stampin' Up! specials that are almost over. Don't delay!

All major credit cards accepted, as well as cash and checks. Post a comment on this blog and receive an additional special gift from me.

(Discount will be taken off after normal shipping and taxes have been applied.)

Exciting News...I'm Published!

I just found out that the Embrace Life card that you see in the post below (on April 7) was published on the Stamper's Showcase on the Stampin' Up! website! Unfortunately, this is a demonstrators only website, so you won't be able to see it unless you join my team and decide to become a demonstrator!!

My husband Dave is getting ready to walk in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walk on Saturday (tomorrow). Pray for good weather! He's got to back in our hometown to coach my daughter's soccer game by 1:00pm. At least he's not going to be the one running up and down the field. (smile!)

Happy Friday!

Wild Wasabi Special...Going Going Gone

We just heard that the Wild Wasabi promotion will be out of inventory within 7 days, so if you are thinking about ordering a pack of these textured pre-cut, pre-scored cards for $3.95 (16 cards) please let me know soon! As soon as all those demonstrators get the word out to their customers I'm sure there will be lots of orders going in for the last of the inventory. Here's a card I made with the Wild Wasabi Promotion. It's actually a bookmark and a card. The GIANT paperclips (aren't they adorable?!) came from Walmart. I punched some Afternoon Tea Designer Series Paper (scallop punch, 1 1/4 circle punch and Snow Burst punch) and adhered them to the clip using Sticky Strip. Isn't that a cute bookmark? My 9 year old fell in love with it! Then I decided to incorporate it into a card. This would make a cute gift for someone special. It's hard to see, but just beyond the Photo Corner punches on the right side, there is a scored line where the card folds. Enjoy!

Still Loving Ginger Blossom

I just love the Ginger Blossom Designer Series Paper. Who knew Goovy Guava and Ruby Red would look so great together....Stampin' Up! of course! I designed this tri-fold card using Groovy Guava cardstock and the Ginger Blossom DSP. The butterfly is from "Time Well Spent", a level 3 Hostess Set. Want this set? Host a workshop with $500 in sales! The cute little "for you" and the butterfly are SU rub-ons. I used brads and elastic cord to hold the flaps together. The groovy guava flap is embossed with the Swirls A2 Cuttlebug die. The double-stitched ribbon is also groovy guava. Enjoy!

Juvenile Diabetes Walk

My husband Dave is participating in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Walk on Saturday, April 19. He's walking for my niece who was diagnosed last fall with this CURABLE (yes, they are so close to a cure) disease. Please consider donating! My niece is also walking, actually she is the team captian for a group of 15 walkers! Go Sydney! What a great young lady she is! (left: Dave and Maggie getting ready to go to the Daddy Daughter Dance)

If you would like to donate to either Dave or Sydney, please click on the following websites:

http://walk.jdrf.org/walker.cfm?id=87006925 (for David)

http://walk.jdrf.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=extranet.personalpage&confirmid=86993437 (for Sydney)

Ending Time Change for Class

Please take note, I have changed the ending time for my class on May 4. I found out today that we have a dinner to attend for my son's confirmation class. I will need to end my class at 4pm in order to attend this important event for my son. Thanks for understanding!

Don't worry, we'll still do some really fun projects, I'll just have to be SUPER organized!!

Don't forget to RSVP at mengels@verizon.net.

Class Announcement

I'll be holding a class in my home on Sunday, May 4th. This is the weekend before Mother's Day, so we will be doing some (but not all) Mother's Day themed projects. The projects can be altered for sisters, friends, or others if you've already done your Mother's Day shopping. Here are the details:

When: Sunday, May 4
Where: At my house (let me know if you need directions)
Time: 2-4pm
Cost: $15 pre-paid by May 2 - or $20 at the door.
RSVP BY: MAY 2 even if you decide to pay at the door.
Policy on Children: Children over 10 can register as an adult (full price).
-Any participating children will be expected to be able to make the projects with minimal assistance and will need to be respectful of the adult attendees and property (including all items used for the workshop). Treat yourself to a Mom's afternoon out.
What's provided: Everything you need to create the projects, snacks, and door prizes

Note: Gluesticks will be used for our projects. You can bring your own adhesive and/or tools if you would like. Any special adhesive needed for projects will also be provided (ex. sticky strip, glue dots, etc...)

Class is limited to 10 so sign up right away! Email me at mengels@verizon.net to sign up and arrange for payment.

If you leave a comment on this post AND attend my May 4 class you will receive a special gift from me.

Embrace Life on the Inside!

One other quick post to show you the inside of this Embrace life card. (the front is shown in my previous post) I created a pocket by folding the wild wasabi cardstock in and used eyelets to hold it. (you're seeing the back side of the eyelet so it's not as pretty as the other side) Then I created a tag for the pocket.

Embrace Life

Sorry I haven't posted since last Thursday. We had a busy weekend starting with the trip to New York on Friday. We had a great day there (even though it was long). We left around 6:30am Friday and got home around 1:30am on Saturday morning. But the girls had fun at American Girl Place and even the adults got to do a little sight seeing. My favorites were Rockefeller Center and the St. Patrick's Cathedral.

This sample is a card that I made for a swap that I participate in once a month (Card of the Month Club). I used a piece of the wild wasabi pre-cut and pre-scored cardstock from the Wild Wasabi Special. This is REALLY nice textured, great quality cardstock. The large flower is from the Embrace Life stamp set. I stamped it on the Afternoon Tea DSP and cut it out. The 3 small flowers (there's one in the center of the large flower but it's hard to see) are also stamped on Afternoon Tea DSP. Those small flowers are from the Sweet Celebrations stamp set.

Supplies:

Stamp Set: Embrace Life, Sweet Celebrations

Cardstock: Wild Wasabi, Designer Series Paper "Afternoon Tea"

Ink: Chocolate Chip classic, Whisper White craft

Accessories: Crop-A-Dile, metallic eyelets, groovy guava double stitched ribbon, spiral punch, regular and small tag punches (used for inside of card), scissors

April is here

I can't believe it's April already. Before you know it the kids will be out of school.... I am excited because I am heading to New York City tomorrow. My friend and I, and our 2 daughters will be spending the day at American Girl Place. We're driving up and back on the same day so I'm sure we'll be exhausted on Saturday. It's about a 4 1/2 hour drive each way if all goes well.

Don't forget to take advantage of the 3 specials going on right now, only through April. You'll find previous posts on the Wild Wasabi, Extra Extra!, and the Free Wheelin' promotions.

Here's a simple card I put together for my daughter's basketball coach using the "Just Basketball" stamp set. I was just looking through my samples trying to find one to show you and this caught my eye because it's bright and cheerful. Enjoy!

Another MITI

This cute little keyring was the second MITI at my Stampin' Up booth during the girl scout scrapbook event. This was SO simple and everyone just loved it. And...it's practical too! You can't see it in the picture, but inside this folded paper is a little tiny post-it notepad. The Crop-A-Dile went through this like butter!

Supplies:

-1 binder ring

-small post-it notepad (I divided 1 pad into 3rds or 4ths. The Crop-A-Dile will not fit through a whole notepad)

-Stamp Set - Sweet Celebrations

-Ink - certainly celery, chocolate chip

-Cardstock - certainly celery, chocolate chip, and very vanilla

-Accessories - Crop-A-Dile, 1 1/4 Circle punch, scallop punch