Automated SU Workshop Forms

Where have I been? What have I been doing? It's called "office work." Ugh, I hate it but somebody has to do it. So for the last week I have been typing labels for my stamp boxes (stamps I have purchased within last year); cutting pictures of the stamp sets out of the catalog to insert in the stamp box; moving retired sets to another cabinet (for storage until I have a sale); and finally I updated my automated SU Order Forms (Customer, Demonstrator, & Hostess) with the items from the new 2009-10 Idea Book and Catalog, Definitely Decorative Catalog, and Dormant List. Yikes, what a job -- I think I went "completely" blind doing the Definitely Decorative Catalog. Anyway, here is a link to the new forms (stored in Splitcoast Stampers' Demonstrator Forums):

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=418492

After typing in the Item #, the form populates with the Item Name/Description and the formulas figure tax and shipping and all other totals). I use this form for all my orders (including mine) so I have an exact total for my customers and myself before I enter into OEX. If it doesn't match; I don't submit the order until I find the error (knock on wood, so far I have never messed up a customer order). If you have Microsoft Excel 2000 or later installed on your PC, follow the directions on the web site to download and try it out. Totally awesome if you have a laptop you can install on because you can take it to your workshops!!

Enjoy, and now I can go stamp and update this sorrowful blog with something really good!!
Sandi

To The Fathers!!

Happy Father's Day!! Well I wonder how many fathers will be stopping by here today, LOL. Oh well, they just don't know what they are missing do they. My DH (dear husband) loved his card, so I had to show it off to all my friends. I have been wanting to do this card for months, but didn't want to spend my own money to buy the set. Thank you to the Queen of the RubberQueens (Ronda), as I won the Nature Silhouettes stamp set free just for visiting her blog. I got it just for my DH, who is a wolf lover (yes, we had one as a pet for many years and he still has his doggie dish). Yesterday was my big day to try it out and this is what I came up with. I used the sponging technique, which I have done for years, but was taught a few new tricks from my sideline Tamie Ackerson (SU Advisory Board Member). I did mine a little different. I embossed the black silhouettes with Black EP after I sponged the background. I sponged with Baha Breeze, More Mustard, and classic Black inks, on Whisper White cardstock; layered on More Mustard, Jackpot DSP, and Kraft cardstock for the base. Then added a couple of the More Mustard brads. My sentiment is from Three Little Words, carried over to the inside with the I Love You stamp from the set. I also used the new Teeny Tiny Wishes set and the discontinued Versatile Versus on the inside; along with carrying over the Nature Silhouettes images on the inside. I loved how this turned out, and will definitely be doing this at a card class, as it is so hard for me to come up with masculine cards.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!
Sandi

Studio and Party Pictures

Thought I would put in a couple of pictures of my studio that got taken over by the graduation open house party. Here are some before party pictures, and pictures of what my studio normally looks like when it is CLEAN (not very often--LOL). This is the "BEFORE" pictures:

















Above is my desk where I do all my crafting. All my supplies that I use the most are in the cabinets or in front of me, making it very handy.


The picture to the right is my daughter Tricia and good friend Shirley, taken at one of my classes. They are sitting at the work stations pictured on the left (yah, this was taken when I first moved into my studio before I had it decorated).

Below are pictures taken before people arrived (only a few early family helpers were here). I took a few pictures inside and outside and then forgot to pick up the camera again!! I hate that when I do that -- didn't even get a picture of the graduate!! I KNOW "STUPID" WITH A BIG "S." Oh well, hopefully somebody else got some pictures. But I did have fun, even tho the weather could have been better. We even had a few late night swimmers!!













This is Holly, Emily's sister and my super helper for the day!! She worked her you know what off!!







My sister Kathy sitting at the table and Emily's Mom (my daughter), Tricia fixing the tables before the guests arrived. The other picture is down at the pond and fire pit -- DH was making sure the fire was going good!!

This is my grandson Zachary digging into the fruit.

And, finally, a very blurry picture of the pond.

Thank you for taking the time to look at my pictures. I hope you enjoyed seeing a little of my "other" life as a mother, grandmother, and wife!!

I will be back soon, Sandi

Razzle Dazzle!

Still haven't had time to stamp, but am sharing our Make'n Takes from our RubberQueen demonstrator meeting last week. Both of these are very simple, but with the new in-colors they really are a WOW! The first one is with our new Razzle Dazzle stamp set stamped on Whisper White with the new Bermuda Bay ink, wrapped in Bermuda Bay polka dot ribbon, layered on Bermuda Bay cardstock. We used one of the new Teeny Tiny Wishes sentiments, punched out with the new Modern Label punch and layered on the matching Punch Window Movers & Shapers Bigz XL Die using Bermuda Bay cardstock. I love these new dies as each die is just a little bigger than the corresponding punch. Such a cute card for (at max) 5 minutes of time.

The second picture shows another technique for our technique album ring. Every meeting, we do a new technique to add to our ring. This technique we called Reinker Watercolor, showcased on Patty's Stamping Spot. I used Rich Razzleberry & Crushed Curry reinkers for mine. Combined with the Rich Razzleberry cardstock and polka dot ribbon and brad in the middle -- another WOW card/sample. All of the sample techniques are put on a Top Note die with the name of the technique at the top. My intentions are to put all of them in a 6" x 6" album with the recipe on the page to the left (yes, another thing to put on my "To Do" list). Another special "thank you" to my leader Ronda (aka, Queen of the RubberQueens) for always providing the team with awesome make'n takes and loads of tips at our monthly meetings. Another reason she has been SU Demonstrator of the Year for 3 years in a row!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!
Sandi

Counting the days!!

Five more days and I can start stamping again!!! Yep, everything in my studio is packed in the cabinets out of sight. It is now the official food room for the party Saturday. It took me the WHOLE day yesterday to clean and put away all my tools, etc. (Yes, I am in mourning right now.) And wouldn't you know, at 8 p.m. (when I was done of course), I realized that I hadn't done Emily's sign-in book. Have you ever tried to find product when everything is stuffed into your cabinets - well, it's been a long time for me and not easy (and we aren't even talking about finding my cutting tools that are normally out all the time, but now stuffed in some corner of some drawer or cabinet). Needless to say, I only spent 10 minutes on this (long enough for the glue to dry) and found 1 piece of 12" x 12" SU designer paper and some accessories in the colors that she wanted. Well she wanted something bright and retro kinda, and this was what I came up with. Don't ask me what I used as it was a single piece of DSP hanging out by itself -- no name, nadda -- and do you think I could find it in the Idea Book?? Absolutely not. So this is just the picture, with no description. (Yes, the velvet ribbon was discontinued a couple of years ago.) I will have Emily write on her tag what she wants. Hey, things can only go uphill from here right -- and I had to put SOMETHING new out there so you know I'm still alive. See you in 5 days -- pray for sun!!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day!!
Sandi

Color Combo Excitement . . .

Oh my gosh, I am getting so excited! Between my granddaughter's open house on the 13Th, my house guests for the rest of June, and my new Stampin' Up product that should be here next week; I don't know if I will be able to handle all this happiness. What a month June is going to be for me. To share some of my excitement and to give you a sneak peak of what is coming (like most of the world doesn't already know) here are some of the fun, summer-inspired color combinations using the retiring In Colors or the upcoming NEW 2009-2010 In Colors. (Click on the picture to enlarge and/or print.) We will be using some of these color combos at my next scrapbooking and card classes!!

Have a great day!!
Sandi

Last Chance for these stamps???

I am so sad -- some of my most favorite stamp sets are going to my "retired" closet (notice I said closet, not out the door). But then it only took me about 6 hours to look at SU's sneek peek of the new stuff coming July 1, and I started feeling a "little" better. Yep, took me 6 hours to put my big demonstrator order in for all my new stuff. WHERE AM I GOING TO PUT IT??? Wasn't it just wonderful that SU is having their Summer Fun Promotion at the same time we are putting in our orders for all the new stuff -- I don't think I have ever gotten $85 in free stuff before!

After that I decided to go right down and pick out some of my most favorite stamp sets (that will soon be in the closet) and make some cards. Of course, I still had to get my graduation and birthday cards done for Emily -- so used my very favorites on these two cards. And that would be Zoofari and "She's All That" I so love those little wonka birds (my personal name for them). I decided to use my favorite technique -- sponging. Colors include Bravo Burgandy (card base and school color), Always Artichoke, Mello Moss, Apricot Appeal, and Whisper White; with Black StazOn ink. Sponged with the same colors (and then some). Used Forest Friends (top of tree) for the ground cover with some thumping with the Always Artichoke marker. Sky is sponged with Bordering Blue, Bashful Blue, and a touch of Craft White (yah, I had a little over-kill on the blue in spots to cover). The flag is not SU--it is Basic Grey cloth ribbon already stenciled with letters and I just cut around to make it look like a flag and attached a thin strip of our Bravo Burgandy 1/4" grosgrain ribbon with Crystal Effects.

The 2nd and 3rd cards are both hinge cards (directions posted on Splitcoast Stampers). These are so easy-peasy to make, but turned out really awesome. For Emily's birthday card I used the "She's All That" stamp set (is this retired???). I thought it looked more her age than the "Soft Summer" card. I tried something different (at least I haven't seen it done before) by applying a rub-on to my Jumbo Brad and the Baja Breeze Corduroy Button -- aren't they just the cutest! I used the textured Parisian Breeze designer series paper; and Kraft, Baja Breeze, and Whisper White cardstock for both of these cards (sorry about the poor color on these pictures, my camera battery was dead so had to use my useless scanner).

Have a great day!!
Sandi