New Toys - almost

This bag was on display at the Regional in Minneapolis a few weeks ago. The cool tool used to make this gem is the new Circle Scissor Plus. I just got mine today after waiting patiently for a few weeks while backorders were filled. Sadly, I need to get to bed and won't have time to play tonight, but I plan to show this to my club this weekend - so if you are in the club, look forward to a bag similar to this and some other fun ideas we were shown at this regional. I love new toys!! ~Heidi

Big Shot Baskets

Notice the date on the photo above? Big Shots are even around in the future! Love it!

Now that I have a Big Shot of my own... I've been creating all sorts of cool stuff with it. In the pictures above we used the butterfly and the scallop dies to decorate our 12 x 12 baskets. As you can see, we used the letters as well, awesome idea! We made this project at our retreat and all of the finished baskets were awesome! I'm sure we'll have more examples to show later on this week. I'll track down the pattern as well... great project! Love that Big Shot! Lee Ann

We have a winner!

These very unfocused photos are of sista Sarah winning a FREE stamp set at the MPLS regional a few weekends ago. She was supposed to jump around and get their attention, great job, Sarah! Of course we only act like that for free stamps. If you've ever thought about becoming a demonstrator now is the time! With an easy payment plan in 3 installments, you can be part of our team today! Contact me through my website for more information! Sera

Congratulations Sistas Angie and Lee Ann!

I remember saying/hearing at the retreat, "Sometimes we just have to treat ourselves." Of course being an SU! demo, I've done plenty of "treating" to the point in that I need treatment... but no matter. So two of the sistas (without our peer pressure) are proud owners of the Big Shot. I saw this card and the sentiment fit perfectly. I think it's time to have a Big Shot week on the blog... we'll let you two play for a few weeks and then will have Big Shot week, say that first week in May. I'm so excited for you two and I can't wait to see your creations! Sera

Stamp Class Wedding Card

This is a card I created using retired Brocade Background DSP and River Rock CS for a community ed class a few weeks back. I used the Friends 24-7 stamp set and inked the image up with River Rock and sponged chocolate chip ink around the edges and down the middle lightly. Chocolate chip & VV CS, chocolate chip taffeta & VV half pearls from the Pretties Kit and last but not least the ticket corner punch. I really like how this turned out and have since made this using Parisian Breeze and Bella Rose DSP. Enjoy ladies and just so you know...I did take the plunge and didn't even get expedited shipping. ~ Angie

Thank you, Leslie!

We missed sista Leslie at the regional last week, but she shared a little gift with us that received lots of oooohs and aaaaaws. This top note bag (I will not say the word that starts with p and rhymes with turse) has been seen on many blogs, but Leslie has outdone them all. We've all but taken it apart so we could duplicate every last piece. And yes it opens and closes with the smallest piece of velcro... LOVE IT! Leslie is so talented and we love her work... thanks for sharing sista! Sera

Terri's Awesome Shower Gift

I have an amazing stampin' friend, Terri, who created a wonderful assortment of gifts for a baby shower she went to recently. She was nice enough to photograph everything for me and let me share it with all of you. She is so talented!! Here are her creations:

She is the proud owner of a Big Shot and put it to great use on this item. The Serif Letters were double layered for a shadow effect and the Wild About You stamp set, which matched baby Carson's bedding theme, were used to create this adorable name frame.

Mommy, Grandma, Grandma and Grandpa were lucky enough to receive personalized brag books and a great frame to show off their new little addition.

Remember those paint cans we used to use for the memory cans? You've all seen them. Well she used a recycled - or is it called "Up-cycled" now? - nut container from Target and made a memory box complete with matching pen and notepad to jot down all those memorable moments that busy parents don't have time to properly record in the baby book.

Here's a better view of the notepad - see how she used the double layered letters again? Love how it all coordinated!!!

And she made this uber-cute six sided basket that Angie showed us how to make at the retreat using the Scallop Envelope Die.

All very cute!! Thanks so much for letting me share you Terri :) ~Heidi

Oh and I almost forgot... The beautiful blue afgan that all these items are sitting on - yup, she made that too. So talented this women! I think she should be a demonstrator.... *wink*

MY BIG SHOT ARRIVED!!!

WOW! I am so excited, I wonder if I will get to sleep tonight? After the awesome weekend with my Stampin' Sistas I was so into the Big Shot I HAD to order it. Even though I already owned a Cricut Expression with many cartridges, I just had to have the Big Shot. It was perhaps the fun 3-d stuff (although I can do that on my Cricut machine), perhaps it was the die cuts that match the stamp sets (although there are a lot of punches that match as well), but I am pretty sure it was the texture plates! And, what sent me over the edge, the inking of those plates before running them through the Big Shot. So far, I only had time to create this basket. It was made with the scallop envelope die cut from the Big Shot, Baha Breeze, Pink Pirouette card stock as well as vellum from Taste of Textiles speciality paper. Add some Flower Fusion Felt flowers and some bling with Rhinestone brads, you have a perfect Easter or May Day basket!! I can't wait to create more and more with my new toy!!!

I was so excited about techniques I learned this weekend, I used some of those for my stamping classes this week. We did some watercoloring, chalkboard technique, and a unique fold. Curiosity was peaked as they saw my new Big Shot sitting in the corner. I promised more great things to come!

Have a great Stamping Week! Lee Ann

Easter Treats

Look at this!

Sista Carmen also shared this beauty with us last weekend! What an awesome springtime favor! We have all sorts of creative ways to use our Big Shot and this rocks. Carmen had many Easter items to share and I'm happy to brag on her behalf! Sera Uh Oh... It's Lee Ann's day isn't it? Oops!

Bunny Baskets

These were shared with us by sista Carmen. Aren't they awesome! I'm making these today for my nieces and nephews for Easter. This should be interesting. I'm always looking for creative ways to use the Baskets and Blooms XL die... thank you Carmen. If they turn out reasonably, hee hee, I'll be sure to share! Sera

Techniques, Trains and Trees ...

Here are the two shoebox cards I brought to the retreat last weekend. I had also done these with my stamp club group. The first card is done with the Water Color Wonder Crayons coloring directly on the rubber then misting with water and finally stamping on the confetti white cs. I also used taken with teal, night of navy and certainly celery in my color combo. The right amount of water is really key here - you need enough but not too much. The second card uses a technique shown on the workshop wow dvd I purchased at the 2008 convention. It is using pastels and the stampa-ma-jig. You stamp the tree lightly, color with pastels, then ink up the tree again, position with stampa-ma-jig and stamp right over the top of the tree again. Real wow factor and the sistas really loved this one .... wink!

So why is my photo sideways??? I'll have to work with that later - g'night ~ sista Ang

Game Night Banner

Sista Heidi made this awesome banner for the retreat! It was a perfect decoration for our casino theme weekend.

She used the Jackpot DSP which was part of the inspiration for our theme this year. As you can see here, she even used the scallops as an added 3D feature. What an awesome event.... wish we were still there! Sera