Dates: April 15-May 31, 2012 (select items available while supplies last)

Details
Hundreds of stamps and accessories from the 2011-2012 catalogs are retiring, and this is your chance to get them before they’re gone. Many products are only available while supplies last, so be sure to get your orders in early!

When you view the retiring stamps list, you may notice it’s longer than in years past. During this transition to the new annual catalog, there are a higher number of stamps being refreshed and replaced than usual. While many stamps are going away, most are being replaced so that the breadth of our stamp lines is every bit as broad as ever!

Download the list here!

Or, feel free to go shopping and see the list by clicking PURCHASE RETIRING PRODUCTS!

And this monocramatic sample just makes me want to drown my sorrows by grabbing some fluffy purple cotton candy for some reason! And I shouldn’t talk about that kind of stuff or I’ll do it and I know for a fact that it is not on my Nutrisystem diet! HA! But — I can’t go into that new adventure right now, I’m wanting to show you something cute that’s made with mostly Sale-A-Bration goodies!

Right after Christmas, I found some Mrs. Fields Chocolates on sale at Target and picked up a few for Leadership gifts and a Sale-A-Bration Kick Off class I had at the end of January. It was actually inspired by the card pictured in the Sale-A-Bration brochure under the Kindness Matters set and above the Designer Frames embossing folders. Of course, I change up the color to Wisteria Wonder and applied it to the white card stock sleeve I wrapped around the chocolate box. You can’t really tell here, but I ran the white CS through the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder to give it some texture. The Wisteria card stock piece went through the Big Shot with the oval Designer Frame folder and was then topped with the Kindness Matters butterflies stamped in Wisteria Wonder Classic Ink and embellished with three Rhinestone Jewels. I love how our Extra Large Oval fits so nicely with this Designer Frame folder! So many stamps will fit perfectly!!! You can barely tell, but I did tuck some leftover slivers of silver glitter paper underneath each sice to coordinate with those jewels to pick up the glamour factor.

The final touch was to wrap a strip of the Flirtatious wisteria fabric (also offered as a Sale-A-Bration incentive around the box) tied into a beautiful bow and embellished with a Thanks tag punch from the Large Oval punch (stamped in Wisteria from the Kindness Matters set). The tag is held on with a piece of Wisteria Baker’s Twine with the final touch of a fun Hat Pin – an embellishment offering form our current Occasion Mini catalog.

This is a great project if you need to crank out a bunch of party favor goodies for something. A little stampin’ and punchin’ and you’ll be done in a jiff. Here’s what you need:

Ingredients:

• Whisper White Card Stock #100730 $8.50
• Wisteria Wonder Classic Ink Pad #122936 $5.95
• Perfect Polka DotsTextured Impressions Embossing Folders #117335 $7.95
• Silver Glimmer Paper #124005 $3.95
• Basic Rhinestone Jewels #119246 $4.95
• XL Oval Punch #119859 $16.95
• Large Oval Punch #119855 $15.95
• Wisteria Wonder Bakers Twine #125576 $2.95
• Hat Pins #125578 $3.95
• Wisteria Wonder Card Stock (offered in a variety pack for a Sale-A-Bration freebie) SAB brochure code #127713 FREE!!*
• Kindness Matters stamp set (SAB brochure code #127724 (Clear) or 127723 (Wood) FREE!!*
• Designer Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folders Code #127709 FREE!!*

*Get any one of these items FREE with each purchase of $50. Spend $100 and get two free, etc.! All three FREE items are also available for purchase if desired! Go shopping and pick yourself up some fun toys at http://www.amanda.stampinup.net!

I’ve got lots to share and I promise to update you more on my knee issues as I blog more, but for now I want to share some pretty things:

These 6×6 layouts are from Stampin’ Up’s latest Simply Scrappin’ Kit called Spring Fever and I LOVE IT! They are pages I’ve created as part of a whole book class offering that is now available for purchase.

Isn’t this two-page spread the CUTEST? My class offering includes a half of this Spring Fever Simply Scrappin’ kit and rhinestone and ribbon embellishment to create 20 awesome 6×6 pages like these:

I hope you enjoyed this sneak peek. If you have any questions regarding this offering, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Just in time for holiday gift giving season, this book is flippin’ amazing in person! Created with the Christmas Lane Simply Scrappin’ Kit featured in Stampin’ Up!’s  Holiday Mini catalog, it features the elegant Cherry Cobbler quilted ribbon and sparkly Rhinestone touches.

It’s enough to make you go "WOW!" Purchase this kit and you’ll complete the 20-page 6×6 book  which includes a Cherry Trim album all ready to fill with your favorite photos.

There’s even a cute-as-a-button embellishment for the cover!

This is a beautiful and special holiday gift that will surely make someone cry! If you can’t just pick one person for this touching present, just purchase a second book kit at a special discounted price! Or, if you’d rather have the instructions only and use materials you have on hand, you can do that, too! The 11-page step-by-step instructions with photographs makes it a breeze to create this easy project in 2 to 2 1/2 hours start to finish. Add your photos, wrap it up and watch the water works on Christmas Day!

Don’t tell me you can resist this fantastic gift? You know you want it!

For more info and pricing options, click here:

Christmas Lane Brag Book Purchase Options

Instructions Only $19.95 Album Kit with Instructions $44.95 2 Book Kit with Instructions $79.95

And, guess what I had for breakfast? Yes…a grilled cheese! LOL! Better yet, how about this pose?:

This is the attitude I got when I asked: "What’s for dinner, honey?"

I guess I’m pushing it?

Seriously, though, there are some benefits to being married to a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator. She can whip out a chef’s hat in a matter of minutes with the help of google! LOL!

Have a safe and Happy Halloween! Bon Appetit!

….I cannot believe Stampin’ Up! is giving away the Big Shot! This is unprecedented! Just when I think they can’t shock me anymore (trust me after 13 years as a demo, it’s getting harder and harder)! Yes, you are reading correctly..Stampin’ Up! is giving out a FREE Big Shot to every single person who signs up to be a demonstrator this month. Get out the smellin’ salts…I think I’m gonna faint! Check this out:

This is my favorite scrappin’ and stampin’ tool and I’d love to give you one! Let’s go out for lunch or coffee and talk about how you can be and get a Stampin’ Up! Big Shot!

Thought I’d put one more plug in for my upcoming Jingle Mingle stamp camp next Saturday. Aren’t all these planned projects fab?

Here’s the class details:

Get a jump start your holiday season and mood with make & takes, games, nibbles, displays, fun festivities and friends!

It’s the debut of the awesome products from the fantastic Holiday Mini catalog and you won’t want to miss it!

• Create 5 projects that you can use for the upcoming Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.(See close up photos below) 
• Discover different ways to use mica flakes in your paper crafting and scrapbooking projects
• Delight in the ease of creating shaker accents with our Shaker Frames and take home some extras! 
• Marvel at the new products at the "Try It" station like the new Simply Scored, the Big Shot Letter Press plates and much more!
• Be inspired by all the holiday project displays and decorations!
• Check out upcoming class projects and sign up for bonus offerings for registering early.
• Play The Grinch Who Stole Christmas Scavenger Hunt, Ho Ho Ho Bingo and Rockin’ the Stocking games for prizes!
• And walk away with some door prizes and the new mica flakes and shaker frames included in the price of admission.

I can’t wait for you to jingle, mingle and stamp until you cramp! Sign up today!

Our Price:

$25 includes food, product, fun, games and prizes
Register at

http://2011jinglemingle.eventbrite.com 

Last chance to register is TODAY! But, always call just in case. We may have an extra packet just for you!

Five camp projects include: 

• Blessings Mix box creatively using a new envelope die, including recipe card and ingredients to make a small sampling of the mix. Makes a great gift! 
• Stocking Shaped card with our new stocking die (thanks to my friend Lisa for this fab project!)
  
• Pines & Poinsettia Shaker card using our new Mica Flakes
• Sparkly fun 3×3 note cards or tags using the new Stocking punch and silver glitter paper 
• And a Jolly Holiday Mini Photo book decked out by our festive Mica Flakes. 

Don’t forget, a generous jar of Mica Flakes and extra shaker card supplies are included in the class!

With Fall just around the corner, I’m holding on to Summer with all my might! It just seems like we just started Summer and now all the kids are back in school. Isn’t it crazy how quickly time just zooms by!?

I created this layout for my July Crop N’ Cards class and wanted to share it with you before the stamp set I used retires at the end of this month. This page and the coordinating card shown below used the unique combination of the cupcake punch and Pennant punch and stamp set combined with the retiring Sunny Fun. Whenever I do an ice cream page, I always seem to gravitate to these colors as it reminds me of Neopolitan ice cream, You too? Here I used Rose Red, So Saffron and Early Expresso classic ink and card stock. I watercolored the ice cream images with the stamp pad and Watercolor brush.

What I like about this layout is that there is plenty of space for photos — 4 large areas and two small — to capture all your favorite Summer memories.  There are many image alternatives you could use for this layout to make it look totally different if you used different stamps and colors–especially with the Sunny Fun stamp set. The adorable kids in water could easily be used for a pool layout. Why not try the delightful color combination of Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point and Certainly Celery? How adorable would that page be? Or, Get a little beachy by using the flip flops image and In Colors Pool Party, Calypso Coral and Peach Parfait. Now that would be unexpected! Ahh so many ideas, so little time!

Sunny Fun Stamp Set

123040 $19.95 Wood   or 123042 $14.95 Clear

Combine this with these punches to create wonderful Summer Memories!

Cupcake Punch 121807 Price: $16.95

Petite Pennants Builder Punch 122361 Price: $16.95

If you like the layout and card combination ideas I share here, please keep coming back. I will soon be offering a wonderful subscription service with hundreds of layout and card ideas along with a unique way to teach my Card-Vertibles Design Theory that will change your whole view on scrapbooking! Stay tuned!

STAMP-A-STACK FOR BACKPACKS FUNDRAISER CARDS

The fundraiser benefited Kids Charity Tampa Bay and we were able to raise $400 to purchase 80 backpacks so underprivileged and orphaned children could attend school with proper school supplies! Attendees made 4 each of the above five cards for $30 and $25 per person was donated to the cause. It was a fun afternoon!

Click on SUMMER MINI CATALOG to get one last look before these products are no longer available. Remember, you do not have to be at a home party to order. You can order from me anytime by going to http://www.amanda.stampinup.net or call or e-mail me and I’m happy to help!

Sometimes, you’ve gotta just cut corners somewhere! And that is exactly what I did for the make & takes for my Big Top Catalog Kick Off! With all the decorative creations, games and set ups to get class and club sign ups, I didn’t have time to get creative with some original art. So I copy, copy, copied! If you’ve ever wondered what CASE’d means–it stands for Copy And Steal Everything! And that’s exactly what I did here.

That’s the awesome thing about being a demo I think. We have the luxury of having 22,000 "assistant artists" who will design for us when we need it!

This project idea came from my friend Amy Celona. I just changed the colors to use the new In Colors. Thanks Amy!

Copied this adorable project from Becky Roberts. What a fabulous idea to just stick 3×3 post it notes in the Butterfly die to create shaped post its! Brilliant! Here I used some velum for the top layer. At the event, we used Beau Chateau Designer Series paper.

This little beauty came from Dawn Olchefske! It’s a stunner and used our new Wisteria Wonder in color, embossing folders and Flirtatious Designer Series paper! Remember, our Designer Paper Buy 3 Get 1 Free special ends Aug. 31! Stock up and SAVE!!!

This idea is a repeat of a project I learned on my FREE Alaska cruise in May. It is so easy! Doctoring it up with the Big Top Suite products made it a perfect project for the Kick Off!

So see, I don’t always come up with this stuff by myself! Why should I when I have so many wonderful people to copy from. It’s what makes my job so easy. What’s holding you back from being a demonstrator?

I’d love to have you join my great team of demonstrators so you can have fun doing what you love, too! Just give me a buzz or leave me a comment here!

Until next time, happy stampin’!