Stampin' Up! Convention News - Day 2

Day 2 at Convention was very different than in years past.  And I liked the changes!  Instead of starting with everyone together in general sessions in the main ballroom, we began the day with breakout sessions.  I also did make and takes Friday morning.  Stampin' Up! usually has four or five make and takes at convention using the Free Stamp Sets that come in your convention bags.  They supply everything; right down to the snail adhesive and scissors.  This year's projects were fabulous.  They also had display boards filled with more card ideas and three dimensional projects using our free convention stamps.  I'm having trouble uploading at the hotel so I'll show you more photos once I'm home.

Then, after a looong break for lunch--also something new this year--the afternoon was all general session.  The longer lunch breaks gave us more time to shop Memento Mall, see live demos of new products, including demos from the new Holiday Mini catalog, swap, and photograph the display boards.  The new catalogs will be available to customers Sept 1 and available for demo pre-orders August 1.  I think it's my favorite Stampin' Up! mini ever!  If you have purchased from me previously, you are already on my mailing list for a Holiday Mini as soon as they are released.  Contact me here and add your mailing address to the Comments sections to request a copy of the Holiday min catalog.

The main stage demonstrations provided demonstrators with great ideas for monthly hostess gifts, demonstrations of easy-to-do projects, and "Wow" projects covering themes for the next several months. Stampin' Up! makes it so easy to be a demonstrator! The stage demonstrations have been so fun this year.  This year, each demonstrator brought a Plus one (+one) on stage to help with demos;  daughters, the head of IT, etc.  It added a different perspective to the presentations, and showed you how to tailor workshops to the needs of these different audiences. 

For the first time ever Stampin' Up! also included more projects in the evenings.  Friday evening I took a workshop where we made this cute village cottages.   Click on any photo to see it larger. 

For more photos from Convention, check out the  Stampin’ Up! Facebook Convention reports on Facebook


We'll I'm off for final day of Convention this morning. And a shoe box swap tonight after Convention ends, so it's going to be another busy day. Look for copies of my swap cards tomorrow!

Enjoy!

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator
Current Promotions
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Stampin' Up! Convention News - Day 1

Stampin’ Up! Day 1 (Thursday) Convention doors opened with the entire Stampin’ Up! Company forming a greeting line as we entered the convention.  Wow!  What company do you know that stops their company’s day-to-day business to visit with its sales force and customers – that’s what we demonstrators are – as well as their best customers.

Demonstrators arrive up to an hour early to be there when the doors open.  Then the fun begins.  Dancing in the aisles, swapping,  finding old friends from conventions past and catching up,-- until they dim the lights and we’re ready to start.  This year, the kick off was a drummer/ dance/acrobatic group with a new Stampin’ Up! theme song around “Grow” followed by Shelli Gardner, Founder and CEO of Stampin’ Up.

The stage held the coolest backgrounds this year.  When we walked in  the sets were one colors.  Throughout the presentations, the flower designs on the set moved and before the formal presentations began, the  colors changes.  The position of the flower images and the colors continued to change throughout the event!  (Can you tell?  I’m an old events manager and little things like that impress me.)

We saw the new Holiday mini catalog just before lunch.  I can’t show you the catalog until September 1, but I can show you some of the fun samples from the catalog in August.  Hint:  One of the new products in the Holiday mini will help you make these wonderful flowers in the photo above.

I started writing my Holiday Mini Wish list since Demonstrators can preorder  merchandise from the Holiday Mini August 1.  But I gave up after 10 catalog pages and decided it would be easier to write a list of what I didn’t want;  it will be very short.

If you’re a stamper or a scrap booker who plans to make fall and winter holiday cards and scrapbook pages, you’ll want to consider signing up as a demonstrator this month to take advantage of the 20% discount on all your orders, with 30% off your first order.   The timing is perfect.  August 1 you can you place a 30% off order for both new catalog merchandise on your Wish List as well as the Holiday Mini merchandise that only demonstrators can order early.  Everyone else waits until September.  Read about the US $99 demonstrator sign up promotion going on until the end of July.  Get US$185 worth of products and supplies and a free $40 Christmas Keepsake kit to make.  Only a couple more weeks to take advantage of this promotion!

We’re seeing tons of new samples.   Stampin’ Up! is showing us how to use the has kits in the catalog that are easy and fast for beginners without a lot of supplies, all the way to Wow, Wow, Wow showpiece projects for the experienced stamper with plenty of supplies  who wants to show her creativity, to the “I-don’t-have-time”, the “I-can’t-afford-it” to the “ I-don’t-have-space” stampers who wants a few embellishments, one stamp pad and one stamp set to make a lot of cards fast.   

We’ll I’m off to Day 2 of Convention.  Today I’m doing the make-and-takes – always the highlight of the convention.  Check for make-and-take photos tomorrow.

  

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Current Promotions
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Host a workshop
24/7 Shopping at my Stampin' Up! Website
Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs - including the Summer mini catalog

SU Convention 2011 - Check-in Day

Most of you know I'm in Salt Lake City for the annual Stampin' Up! Convention.  The shuttle ride from the airport to the hotels is always a hoot.  Ladies are always in a great mood and hootin' and hollerin' (and they aren't even from Texas!) during the beautiful drive from the airport.  Christine from New Jersey and I sat in the back seat of the van and giggled like school girls as we got to know each other during the ride from the airport.  Hotel check in, and then dash next door to the Convention center for bag pickup and shopping at Memento Mall.

This is one of the items in Memento Mall.  They came in two color combinations and they matched the notebooks in our Convention Bag this year. . . so cute!...AND very functional

Opening night, Stampin' Up! threw a great Garden Party with a hat contest, worm digging contest, pie eating contest, photo booth, and volley ball.  During the evening, the display boards were open for viewing and gifted demos were sharing wonderful projects I'll be showing you during upcoming classes.

Shelli Gardner, Founder and CEO of Stampin' Up! was surrounded by demonstrators who wanted to chat and have photos taken.  She always has wears the perfect clothes...I'm so jealous!

Of course, Shelli's hat was wrapped in one of our designer fabrics.  We now have 7 different designer fabric bundles.  Each bundle incluedes 3 different designs.  Great for die cut projects, 3-dimensional projects or sewing and quilting. 

This hat showed off different designer papers. 

This hat had a country theme and another hat at this table showed a city theme.

Check out the cute stamped images included in the country theme hat.

These hat included a bed of mass on the rims and die cut flowers, butterflies and bird houses -- all using Stmapin' Up! products. 

 This hat included a bee hive made out of the brown paper used for packing all Stampin' Up! orders. 

The cameras were rolling to capture this wonderful hot pink creation.

I'll share a few more hats later this week.

Today, in addition to the Opening General session, I'm in an Intermediate My Digital Studio software class and in a class to find out more about the new Hostess Benefits.   I can't wait to get home and share the fun things we're learning and seeing this week.

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator



Current Promotions
Start You Own Business
Host a workshop
24/7 Shopping at my Stampin' Up! Website
Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs - including the Summer mini catalog

Stampin' Up! Open House Samples

These are the samples we made at my pre-convention, mini open house.  Each person chose which of the new In-Colors for 2011-2013 they liked best and made a Fancy Favors Basket. They also made a card using all 5 of the new In-Colors.

The basket showcased 5 of the new catalog items, including the Ribbon Punch, the Delicate Doilies stamp set, two of shapes from the new Perfect Pennants Bigz L Die (notices that the Die doesn't just include the 3 Pennant shapes, it also includes two doily shapes), and, of course, the new In-color Textured cardstock.

Here's a close-up of the card.  The card includes all five of the new 2011-2013 In-Colors and uses the new Triple Layer Punch from the Summer Mini Catalog.  The sentiment is from the Swirls & Curls Verses Hostess set from the Summer mini, which you can download for free, here.  I also used three Rhinestone brads for a little extra bling and used the Mat Pack (105826) and Paper-Piercing Tool (116631) to create the line of holes across the top of the flowers.

As always, it was great seeing old friends and meeting new friends in a fun, crafty afternoon.  Sign up on my Meet-up site for an invitation to my post Stampin' Up! Convention open house.  Or for notification of upcoming classes.  Not from the Houston, TX area?  Sign up anyway, and let me know if you're intrested in a virtual Open House!  I'll have samples from convention swaps and lots of new tips for using your Stampin' Up! supplies for end-of-summer, and fall holiday projects. 

I've always waited until after Convention to do a new-catalog open house.  However, because Stampin' Up! gives demonstrators the opportunity to purchase a selection of new merchandise a month before the new catalog debuts, demonstrators have an opportunity to create samples so we are ready to share when the new catalogs arrive.  And the creative idea for the card we made at our open house?  Why, from the Stampin' Up! site, of course! I added my own spin by using the new Swirls and Curls Verses Hostess set from the Summer Mini catalog, and added rhinestone brads.  I love that Stampin' Up! makes it so easy to be a hobby demonstrator.  Or to earn extra money doing something fun.

Here are the new products for the new catalog showcased on the basket and cards:




Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch (122464); Punched images in this punch layer beautifully with images in the Bold Blossom Set.





Perfect Pennants Bigz Die (123126).  I'm thrilled with the creative options this Bigz L Die provides.  The Bigz Dies are ideal for cutting thicker materials and multiple layers.  You will need the extended cutting pads to use this die with your Big Shot die cutting machine.





The Delicate Doilies Clear Mount Stamp (122592) includes fun new shapes that coordinate perfectly with our punches and Designer Series Papers.  This stamp set is available in wood mount, too, and is also available as a digital download.



The Large Lace Ribbon Border Punch (122362) can be used as a lace or vintage touch or cut out the flower designs and use separately.



If you're thinking about placing an order larger than $99 for new merchandise from the just-released Stampin' Up! Catalog and Idea Book, think about how much more you could purchase if you saved 20 percent on all your Stampin' Up! purchases.  Read about our $99 sign-up-and-save offer, now.  Offer good until the end of July. 

I'm here to answer any questions you may have.

Enjoy!

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Current Promotions
Start You Own Business
Host a workshop
24/7 Shopping at my Stampin' Up! Website
Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs - including the Summer mini catalog

$99 to Join Stampin' Up...and order your new catalog merchandise at a 20% discount

One of the greatest joys I have is being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.  Coming from the Corporate environment where companies value loyalty and your personal time less and less, Stampin' Up! is truly unique.  It values families, friendships and truly cares about its independent demonstrators. I'm in awe of genuine caring and humbleness of the executives and staff members at Stampin' Up!.  And I love the demonstrator friends and customer friends I've made over my 6 years as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator. That’s why I’m so excited to offer you the opportunity to become a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator during July for only $99!

Lean more about joining.  (Note:  Stampin' Up! site is being upgraded to the new 2011-2012 catalog and will be unavailable until noon Mountain Time July 1)

Whether you're a hobby stamper, or want to earn extra money, or you plan to start your own business, if you have 2 or more stamp sets you plan to order from the new Stampin' Up! catalog, joining Stampin' Up! for $99 is a great way to get a discount on all your Stampin' Up! products, with no obligation to sell. Or with the full support of Stampin' Up! to grow your entrepreneurial skills.  Stampin’ Up! has plans that work for both kinds of demonstrators. 

Which kind of demonstrator do you want to be?  I joined as a hobby demonstrator.  My neighbors saw my projects and what fun I was having and pushed me into showing them how to do it too. Stampin’ Up! provides free access to a community of 30,000+ crafters/ stampers and creative artists, as well as 160,000+ project samples so you are never at a loss for creative ideas. Demonstrators enjoy a 20 percent product discount. 

Join Stampin' Up! for $99 and you can get $185 in products and business supplies -- including new products from the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog.  You’ll also be eligible for TWO FREE months of Demonstrator Business Web Services – including your own business website and Online Store, access to a blog, calendar, a monthly e-newsletter for your customers, project gallery, and e-cards – if you sign up within 21 days of becoming a demonstrator, making it easy to set up your new business and start earning.

We're about to start the most fun time of the year to make hand-made craft projects and gifts! The limited-time $99 Starter Kit is the perfect choice if you're a lover of Stampin' Up! products. Use this exclusive Starter Kit to get new products at a great value plus share the opportunity with your friends who want to get the products they love at a 20 percent discount to earn even more free merchandise for yourself. 

Plus, if you join in July you will get a Christmas Keepsake project kit absolutely FREE--a $40 value which includes a new stamp set, and a variety of die cuts, fabric, ribbons and trims! This exclusive kit contains everything you need to create a beautiful Christmas Keepsake Box to hold your most treasured Christmas memories. And we can make this great kit together, when you receive it in August. 

Take a look below at all you get in your starter kit -- plus you'll earn the Christmas Keepsake project! 

Visit here to find out how to have fun, get creative, and earn money!

The $99 Starter Kit includes over $185 in products and business supplies--including new products from the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalog! All items shown above are recommended, but a new demonstrator can substitute a similar item of equal or lesser value.

Or, you may still purchase either the standard OR Digital+ Starter Kits instead of the promotional $99 Starter Kit, which can also be personalized with alternative items.  For example:

• An alternate stamp set of equal or lesser value.
• An alternate color assortment of card stock of equal or lesser value
•  Alternate colors of Classic Stampin' Pads of equal or lesser value.

You can also add the Stampin' Memories, Definitely Decorative, or My Digital Studio software Add-on to your $99 Starter Kit for the regular price.  View details for each kit, Add-ons and more about joining Stampin' Up! here.

Visit here to find out how to have fun, get creative, and earn money!

Cake, Coffee and New Catalog

Another reminder:   For those of you in the Houston area, on Sunday, July 2, 2-5 pm, stop by my free mini open house for an opportunity to see sneak peek merchandise, samples and try the new dies and punches before placing your first order from the new catalog. 

If you are among the first ten to RSVP and then attend, you'll receive this fun tote from last year's Memento Mall merchandise available to demonstrators who attended Convention.  See details and RSVP here: 



One other item I know you'll want...a Wish List!.  You can download and print a blank Wish List here and get started adding all the items you must have from the new catalog.

Enjoy!

CLICK HERE to place an Order
Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs
(Note:  Stampin' Up! site is being upgraded to the new 2011-2012 catalog and will be unavailable until noon Mountain Time July 1.  The new catalog is over 200+ pages.  Have patience when downloading.)

Last few hours to say farewell ...before the launch of the new Stampin' Up! Catalog

As we're all busy preparing for the long 4th of July week end coming up, I wanted to take a minute to remind you that we're down to the final few hours to place an order for stamping and scrapbooking products you won't find in the new Stampin' Up! catalog, which debuts tomorrow, July 1 at noon.

Here are a couple more items I'm going to miss:

I love this versatile, Decorative Strip Die called, Join in The Cheer, (113452) Price:  $21.95  Sale Price:  $13.17.  But tonight is the Last Chance to purchase.

The long strip is perfectly suited for 12 X 12 scrapbook pages.  Or, cut the words apart, as I did to decorate the gift bag above.  This worked for so many occasions -- most of all Christmas and Valentine's Day.  I'm really going to miss this Die.

Tart & Tangy,  (111514) another of my favoite stamp sets is also retiring tonight.  Tart & Tangy workshops were some of my most popular.  Here are a few samples from those classes.

Don't miss this Last Chance to order this set, ribbons, and dies for your stamp collection before they disappear this evening..

You can access the Last-Chance Lists Here. 
Last-chance Wood-Mount Stamps
Last-chance Clear-Mount Stamps
Last-chance stamps .pdf list
Last-chance Accessories - good until goneShop all Discounted Last Chance Products (Discount applied at checkout)

Reminder:  Tomorrow the new 2011-2012 Stampin' Up! catalog and Idea book goes on line at noon Moutain Time.  Check here, tomorrow, for links to the new catalog. The links to the old catalog retire at midnight tonight...so it truly is Your Last Chance!

Cake, Coffee and New Catalog

Also, on Sunday, July 2, 2-5, stop by my free mini open house for an opportunity to see sneak peek merchandise, samples and try the new dies and punches before placing your order from the new catalog. 

If you are among the 1st ten to RSVP and then attend, you'll receive this fun tote from last year's Memento Mall merchandise available to demonstrators who attended Convention.  See details and RSVP here: 



One other item I know you'll want...a Wish List!.  You can download and  print a blank Wish List here and get started adding all the items you must have from the new catalog.

Enjoy!

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Current Promotions
Start You Own Business
Host a workshop
24/7 Shopping at my Stampin' Up! Website
Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs

Love Bug in My Digital Studio scrapbooking software

I was playing with My Digital Studio software earlier this evening and after dropping some photos from my family's Facebook pages into the quick templates in My Digital Studio software, I stumbled across a feature that lets me make an on-line album and add it as a slideshow to my blog. 

I stated with this great page and the rest of the pages just seemed to fall into place.

I'm curious to find out if  this slide show works.  Click on the replay button below.  Then, leave me a comment one way or the other.   If it does work, this would be a fast, easy way to quickly add tutorials for projeccts onto my website...a plus for both you and me!


Find more samples like this on My Digital Studio


I can't wait to get to Stampin' Up's! convention the middle of next month.  I'm registered for My Digital Studio software classes and I'm sure I'll return with even more ideas to share with you.  

You've been to scrapbooking conferences, so you know how much you love the inspirational ideas and the photos you take of all the wonderful samples you've seen.  I was just going through my photos from the last Stampin' Up! Convention and I was amazed to find over 1500 photos!  I have to remind myself that the samples and demos we see at the Stampin' Up! Convention are some of the most professional, creative ideas available in the paper crafting industry today.  Looking at them just once doesn't do justice to these photos packed with design ideas as well as business tips for turning your love of paper crafts into a business!  I can't wait to see what Stampin' Up! has in store for us this year.  Just 16 more days until Convention!

If you've thought about joining Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator, now is a great time to join.  Excitement at the start of the new catalog year can help set you on the path to a wonderful new hobby or a rewarding career.  And Fall and  Winter are the best times of the year to be a demonstrator.  Watch a quick demo of some of the stamping techniques you can do with your Starter Kit once you sign up as a demonstrator.

If you are interested in learning more about the benefits demonstrators enjoy, this link  tells you about the product discounts, extra income, flexible schedule and support from Stampin' Up! that you'll receive for joining.

And whather you join as a hobby demonsrtator to buy your Stampin' Up! products at a discount, or if your join to make Stampin' Up! your career, this link tells you how a demonstrator earns discounts, income, free stamps, commissions, cash and product bonuses, incentive trips and other awards.

Final few days before retiring stamps, papers, ribbons and embellishments from the current catalog are gone.  These items are listed on the Last Chance Lists.

Free new catalog with a US$50.00 order placed on my Shopping Site.  My new 2011-2012 Idea Books and Catalogs have arrived.  Want a free catalog?  Place an order for $50 or more on my Stampin' Up! shopping site between now and June 30 and I will send you a free ($9.95 value) Stampin' Up! catalog on July 1.  Sorry, this offer good for U.S. addresses only.  Or, visit my new catalog open house on Sunday, July 3.  Check out the details and RSVP here:

Don't hesitate to contact me if you have questions or want to know more.

Enjoy!
 

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Current Promotions
Start You Own Business
Host a workshop
24/7 Shopping at my Stampin' Up! Website
Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs

Free New Catalog ... and Say goodbye to Simply Sent Sweet Hello card kit

One of my favorite items from the current Stampin' Up! catalog is the "almost finished" cards and envelopes that go together in minutes, ready for those last-minute requests from DH or (gasp) myself just before we step out the door.  Stampin' Up!  calls them Simply Sent Kits.  The Sweet Hello cards are printed, embossed and include embellishments and envelopes.  Add a sentiment suitable for your occasion and you've made a personal card in minutes when you're pressed for time. 

While the kit includes printed, embossed cards and pink adhesive-backed ribbon flowers with pearl centers, I added more embellishments using the butterflies from Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die and used a sentiment stamp from the Pretty Postage stamp set to finish my card. 

This is also a great kit if you are a new stamper wanting to try stamping for the first time.  You can select this kit and its matching sentiment stamp, Hello, You, 117118 - $9.95 that includes a "Hello, you" sentiment and "sweet friend" sentiment. and order a Baja Breeze stamp pad (111833 - $5.95) and begin stamping handmade cards for a total investment of under $30.00.

Card details:
Stamps:  Pretty Postage (Summer Mini)
Ink:  Baja Breeze
Paper:  Sweet Hello Simply Sent Kit (118710 - Last Chance list)
Accessories - Pink adhesive-backed ribbon flowers with pearl centers (part of the 1187110 Sweet Hello Simply Sent Kit),
Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die, Big Shot Die Cut Machine

 

Here's what the Sweet Hello Simply Sent Kit includes  (118710) - $11.95
 - 8 5-1/2 4-1/2 cards
 - Eight White 5-3/4 X 4-3/8 envelopes
 - Preprinted and embossed
 - 24 pink adhesive backed ribbon flowers with pearl centers

Free new catalog with a US$50.00 order placed on my Shopping Site.  My new 2011-2012 Idea Books and Catalogs are also on order.  Want a free catalog?  Place an order for $50 or more on my Stampin' Up! shopping site between now and June 30 and I will send you a free ($9.95 value) Stampin' Up! catalog on July 1.  Sorry, this offer good for U.S. addresses only.

Final week to Say Goodbye -- to Night of Navy ribbons, if you love the classy look of Night of Navy ribbons, order now before all the sizes you need retire on June 30.  Night of Navy is available until sold out in 1/8 inch taffeta (119258), 1-1/4 inch striped grosgrain (119773) , 3/8 inch taffeta (120933) and 5/8 inch Satin ribbon (120932).

Final week to Say Goodbye -- to Early Espresso ribbons, if you love the look of Early Espresso with Bashful Blue or Pretty in Pink, order these three ribbons now before all the sizes you need retire on June 30.  Early Espresso is available until sold out in 1-1/4 inch striped grosgrain (119961) , 3/8 inch taffeta (119964) and 5/8 inch Satin ribbon (119753).

Final week to Say Goodbye -- to 5/8" grosgrain ribbons.  If you love our 5/8" grosgrain ribbons, you'll want to stock up before they are gone.  You won't find them in the new catalog.  Although there will be plenty of existing ribbons and several exciting, new ribbon styles in the new catalog, I'll miss these ribbons.  Check the Last-Chance Accessories list for all ribbons.

 You can access the Last-Chance Lists Here. 
Last-chance Wood-Mount Stamps
Last-chance Clear-Mount Stamps
Last-chance stamps .pdf list
Last-chance Accessories - good until gone
Shop all Discounted Last Chance Products (Discount applied at checkout)

Donna Ross

Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator

Current Promotions
Start You Own Business
Host a workshop
24/7 Shopping at my Stampin' Up! Website
Download Free Stampin' Up! Catalogs