Stamping On The Bayou

Meeting of the Minds

Tonight my team's business builders are getting together for our first quarterly Southern Ink Summit! This is the notebook I've created for each one of them to take notes. Isn't it lovely?

I covered a junior legal pad (5 x 7) with card stock and dressed it up in beautiful spring colors. I'm on a vintage kick now, so I used the Vintage Vogue (117690) stamp set and the Very Vintage (117693) jumbo wheel from the Occasions Mini catalog.

 
So true!!! I love this business and the best part about it is that my customers are also my friends!

I'm so excited to share the business side of things with these awesome ladies. The first topic will be the awesome career plan that Stampin' Up! offers. Stampin' Up! is an amazing company that really wants its demonstrators to succeed!

Demonstrators enjoy many benefits, including

• Product discount. Demonstrators get a 20% discount on all Stampin' Up! products, including stamp sets, paper, and accessories. It's a great way to support your love of stamping and paper crafting. 
• Extra income. You'll earn extra income based on your sales and recruiting--how much extra income is up to you. Maybe you just want enough income to pay the electric bill every month, or maybe your goal is bigger--the monthly payment for your new car--it's up to you! See the Compensation Table for more information.
• Flexible schedule. This is your business, so you can put as much (or as little) time into it as you'd like! 
• Support from Stampin' Up! We love our demonstrators and it shows through our demonstrator support materials, including a monthly magazine, workshop ideas, and audio and video trainings on all kinds of topics on our Demonstrator Web Site.

To learn more about Stampin' Up! as a company, click here or contact me. SaleABration is the best time to sign up as a demonstrator - you get a discount on the Starter Kit AND a FREE stamp set of your choice! I LOVE what I do and I'd LOVE to share it with YOU!

Troops Helping Troops

My daughter's Brownie Girl Scout troop has completed cookie sales...WHEW! During their sale, they collected money and donations to send cookies to our military troops overseas. Along with the cookies, they'll be creating "thank you" cards for soldiers.

 
The first card uses some retired Stampin' Up! stamps. After 9/11, Stampin' Up! had created the "God Bless America" stamp where the proceeds were donated to the cause.

 
The second card uses strips of Real Red card stock, the small star punch, and the Big Shot Serif Essentials alphabet.

 
I only wish these small tokens of appreciation are enough to thank the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for our freedom. God Bless America and God Bless our Troops!

Elegant Trio Decor Stencils

CEO and Co-Founder of Stampin' Up!, Shelli Gardner has been traveling the country on her Workshop of a Lifetime tour. Demonstrators who stepped up to the challenge earned this fabulous reward. Anyway,  I loved the latest projects that she demonstrated at her last workshop so much, that I just had to case them for my hostess club free classes this month! They are truly elegant and so easy to create!

This project uses minimal supplies that you may have on hand already! The Elegant Trio decor stencils (118262) are found in the latest edition of the Definitely Decorative brochure. For $9.95 you get all three stencils! I've used them on cards here, but they can also be used to transform plain into pretty and give you the decorating edge your home needs to be the best on the block!

The flower is stunning! I love how you can create shading with just one color source (Regal Rose in this case)! I used a sponge on all these cards. For the middle of the flower, I added the Basic Small Grommets and a Clear Rhinestone Brad after running the white card stock piece through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Folder!

I used the Almost Amethyst color for the scroll image on this card. It is splattered with Elegant Eggplant using the Color Spritzer tool, which is my favorite tool (this week anyway)! Because this card is only one layer, I clipped the prongs off the Clear Rhinestone brads using my Craft and Rubber Scissors and applied with a Mini Glue Dot. The Basic Black satin ribbon and Groom Specialty designer series paper and another layer of elegance!

This one is my favorite! I love all things Fleur de Lis! Here, I stenciled the image in Sage Shadow Classic ink and stamped the "gratitude definition" image in Jet Black StazOn before lifting up the stencil. The StazOn Cleaner can clean your stencil when you are done. Again, add some splatters with the Color Spritzer tool and Basic Black Stampin' Write marker. The paper is one of the patterns from the Nouveau Chic designer series paper collection.

This has got to be one of the cutest projects that I have created. I may have been inspired by another project, but for the life of me, I don't think I've seen it done quite this way. First I used the Big Shot and the Scallop Circle die to cut out my "cone". Then, spritz with a little water to break down the fibers of the card stock. Run the scallop circle through the Big Shot again (I did it twice) with the Perfect Details Texturz Plate. Your scallop circle will naturally curl because of the water. Use this opportunity to form your shape (make sure you used Sticky Strip to hold it together) and VOILA, a waffle cone!

I decorated a plastic Easter egg with rubons and flowers to achieve the ice cream look! They are stinkin' cute! I think I will make these for my kids' friends for Easter!

Hope you enjoy! My hostess club classes made these projects this month. Want to join? I take new members anytime!
 
 
  
 
 

Stampin' on the Go

I have some wonderful friends that I met through my husband's business that live in West Virginia. These ladies are a hoot and have so much fun together. They were looking for a new activity and stampin' was the answer! Since I am unable to go to West Virginia to help with their party, I am putting a Stampin' on the Go package together for them. It includes Stampin' Up! product, precut supplies, written instructions, and a DVD demo presentation. The Stampin' on the Go package this month focuses on the Vintage Vogue stamp set from the Occasions Mini Catalog.

 
Aren't these cards lovely? Want the Stampin' on the Go kit? Contact me for more information on pricing.

Great time in Lafayette

We took the Stampin' Up! home office staff to Prejean's after the Lafayette Regional! We had a blast! It was so nice to voice our concerns and get that personal connection to the company we all LOVE!

To see more photos from the Lafayette Regional event, I've posted them to the Stamping on the Bayou Facebook Fan Page. Check them out and become a fan!
 

Whimsical Words

This is a cute project you can put together really quickly!

 
This 5 x 7 art project makes a perfect gift for a neighbor, friend, or family member that needs a pick-up! You can insert it into a picture frame or put a self-adhesive magnet on the back to showcase on a refridgerator!

It's not too late to earn the Whimsical Words stamp set and Welcome Neighbor designer series paper pad I used to make this project for FREE! For every $50 purchase you make, you can earn 1 SaleABration set for FREE! SaleABration ends March 31st! Go to my online store to make your purchase today!

Birdhouse in Your Soul

... it's one of my favorite They Might Be Giants songs!!! In fact, I'm listening to it now as I type this post!! It just makes me happy!

It's time for warmer weather and what better way to get you in the mood than spring projects! This little birdhouse was so easy to make with the Big Shot Mini Milk Carton die from Stampin' Up! Accented with pieces from the Eggcellent Eggs kit, Pinking Hearts Border punch, and the Extra Large Two-Step bird punch, how could you not smile! I plan on making these for my kid's teachers for Easter. I'll cover the hole from the inside with some of our Window Sheets and punch a hole in the bottom (lined with aluminum foil) to make it easy to get the treats inside - I think Robin Egg candies would be perfect, don't you?

I'd love to show you and your friends how to create this lovely project. Contact me to book your private class!

Eggcellent Eggs & More Stamp Camp

Create the most adorable "eggcoutrements" for your Easter celebration at the Eggcellent Eggs & More Stamp Camp. You'll use pieces from the Eggcellent Eggs kit and many other products from the Occasions Mini Catalog! The camp fee is $30 (or $25 if you register before March 10th). Registration ends on March 17th. Follow this link (http://www.stampingonthebayou.com/stamping_on_the_bayou/eggcellent-eggs-more-stamp-camp.html)to register through PayPal.