Get ready with Christmas in July

Last year I had a night where you can come and make Christmas gifts. It was a lot of fun and we made some cute cute stuff.
This year, I thought I would offer a time in July, give you an early start at it. I know it is hard to think about Christmas gifts when it is 200+ degrees outside. But it will come, and you know as well as I do, it gets here long before we are prepared for it. So, I thought I would give us all a head start. Here are the items I have for you to come and make for Christmas gifts. I have plenty of some, limited supply of others. So come early and claim your items!!! I will try to get a slide show with prices up later.
Mom has called me four times to please come to her house and help entertain, so it looks like my week is hers. This will more than likely be it for the week. Call my cell if you need me! ;)

my my my look at the time

Ever have one of those mornings? I seem to have them daily. What is that about?
Anyway, here it is 1:30 in the afternoon and I JUST realized that I haven't blogged at either places yet. So, here I am, blogging my heart out.
I have to say, as much as I love VBS, and I DO LOVE VBS, I really love when it is over too. You know what I mean.
Here are the samples for July 7th's stamp a stack. I only have about 5 spots left, so email me asap if you'd like to come. The Blue Bayou and Soft Sky card has been revised a bit, just didn't rescan it... lazy I guess. All the cards feature the going out in colors, and soon to be retired stamp sets. Thus the name, LAST CHANCE S A S
I have sold several of the sets from the slides, but I still have a bunch too. Let me know if you'd like one or two or three.....

current items for trade

these sets and accessories are current catalog items and may not be sold outright. email me for details.

stamp sets and accessories for sale

these deals are burning up! They won't last long. email me if you want some of these sets.

technique class

For the next technique class, I want to do the paper lantern.
This is fun, but pretty simple too.
Here are two samples.
Watch for more details!

BRACELETS!

I love these build a brads, so cool all on their own.
But SUPER COOL when you put them in a bracelet with some rhinestone brads!!!
I plan to offer a class so you can make one too!

Scrap Happy

Since I have been on a scrap page tangent lately, thought I would share the August layout for Scrap Club. I didn't use many buttons because I wanted to save them for the club girls. I love the summer colors, and it fits with the just add water theme!
I will post again once I have pictures.

Don't forget, tonight at 7 pm is the open top tin class. Dana will be the hostess so you won't want to miss it! come and join the fun, you can make all kinds of cute things with these tins and the price is a steal! scroll down a few days and you can see a sample I posted earlier this week.

scrap page for July

This is the layout for July Scrap Club.
It uses a simply scrapin' kit.
I just got one kit for all 10, so I didn't use it to it's full potential, but you definately get the idea. I love those kits. There is enough to make 4 two page layouts and still have stuff left.
I wanted this month's theme to be Summer Daze, and use no stamps. Just to show how fast it can be.
Jonathan came out and saw the layout and then came inside and picked out the photos to go on it. He taped all the pictures down, himself, and he wrote an entire 8.5X11 page of journaling. So I will need him to make his journaling a bit smaller and it will be complete! So fun. I am thrilled to have this page done in his perspective.

fun stuff

I had a great time working on this book for Emily, and she was so sweet when I showed it to her. I hope she enjoys it as much as I do mine. These are great fun books, and very useful. I sure hope they aren't on the retired accessory list! If they are, it will be one of the few things I buy up! The calendar stamp is perfect in them, and that isn't retiring. Tammy also needed a gift for a friend, so her and I stamped the months out and found some designer papers, and she got hers made a bit quicker than I did this one.
Enjoy your summer day!

two for one

I wish that I was talking about a deal I was going to offer you with the TWO FOR ONE. Sorry. I am talking about posts, you will get two blogs in one today. :) Still a deal.

first, I want to show you the items of the week, you have seen these before, but sometimes it helps to refresh your memory.

First is the Kids Kraft Kamp, Thursday at 6pm you and your child can come and make a fun memory book. I have the cost at $10, but I think $7 is going to be the deal, so $7 per book. And we can "boy it up" if you'd like to bring your son. I only have six books, one of which is spoken for, so sign up FAST!


Then on Friday at 7pm will be the open top tin class, that cost is $8, and $5 if you order. Dana is going to be the hostess, so you know you don't want to miss it. These tins are so fun. I have heard time and again how you can't find them anywhere for less than $6. And it is true, I got lucky and found a great deal, and bought bulk. You can come and decorate it with my supplies and papers, and fill it with recipe cards, which i have the stamp set, or make it for another purpose, here are some samples. The possibilities are endless! I only have 15 tins left! sign up quick, before they are all gone.


Now, what you have all been waiting for....
The 2008-2009 In Colors..... drum roll please!
I have these from Linda Fowler, I think someone on splitcoast shared them after the Stampin' Up! cruise. I wanted to wait until I knew it was official to show them, and it is... so not great pics, but you will at least get to see the colors. I hope you love them. I know change is hard, but embrace it. You always learn to love the new colors, i know I do.

And a note about incentive trips through SU! (the cruise). I did qualify this year, well, almost. I had the sales, but not recruits. I need three recruits by June 30th to get a trip for two to Hawaii, and one of my downline would have to promote as well. Which Lindsey is really close. It is nice to know I was that close. I am ok with that. Scott wasn't thrilled about Hawaii anyway, if it had been hunting or skiing, he might have been more excited. There is always next year, right?

my list

I can not sell these sets until they are officially retired.
But if you would like to put your name on one or more of them, please let me know.
thanks.
Elementary Essentials $18
Taggers Dozen $12 (taken)
Make it Count $8 (taken)
For a Friend $8 (taken)
Weathered background $14
Dotted background $14 (taken)
Word Search background $14
Time Well Spent $18 (taken)
Office Accoutrement $25
Little Pieces $12
Big Pieces $22 (taken)
Snow Flurries $6 (taken)
Polka Dots and Paisleys and Petals (2 sets) $20
All Thru the Year $12
All in a Row $15
Bud Basics $12
A to Z accents $12
Circle of Friendship $10 (taken)
Perennial Favorites $10
Never Ending Joy $15
Artfully Asian $18 (taken)
Festive Favorites $15 (taken)
Create A Coupon $18

happy monday

Here is another card using the afternoon tea designer papers and the going out in colors.
I love this stamp set, wonder you. It also has a pretty leaf stamp. I am going to really miss these in colors.... but I can't wait to show you the next year's in colors. Thanks to Linda Fowler to sending me the sneak peek. You will love the new colors!
Be sure and check out the retired sets list, do not let them go out before you get what you want from the list. I have several that I will be parting with, as I often do when they retire.
I will post that list soon. right now my sweet five year old is FREAKING out because his friend who is 18 months older than him is less than a quarter of an inch taller, and his life is no longer worth living. bless his heart.

what a great day

This day was a GREAT day. The only thing that would have made it better, would be a big fat nap. ;)
Since I can remember, which isn't long (my memory isn't that great) we have been in Houston for Father's day. It is one of the rare occasions that Scott would take off work for. His mom's birthday is roughly a week before Father's day, so we celebrate it all. We happened to go to Houston the weekend prior for various reasons, and ended up celebrating Father's day just the four of us here in Waco.
Jonathan had received a free kids meal card for Outback Steakhouse for being on the straight A honor roll at school, and what dad wouldn't want to eat at Outback? I have heard that Outback has a gluten free menu, and since Jonathan has REALLY missed going out to eat, I thought I would give it a try. After asking Scott if he'd like to go, I called and asked if we could make a reservation, and the person on the phone was very helpful and polite. So before Sunday School, I had secured us a time for lunch. Way to plan ahead!
I do need to back up a bit at this point. Wednesday night, at another church's Vacation Bible School, Jonathan became a Christian. He told me that he was in class, and really felt like he needed to go to the bathroom, but when he got there, that wasn't it, so he knelt down and asked Jesus into his heart, there in the bathroom. (that is so Jonathan, I just can't tell you) So, this Father's Day, Jonathan joined the church and plans to be baptized. Pretty cool. That is enough to make it a great day.
So next we go to our lunch at Outback to celebrate our Father's day. There were people everywhere and I heard the hostesses tell them that it would be 45 minutes or so wait time. Within 3 minutes, our light went off and we were being seated. I asked for a gluten free menu, and the server brought me one, I got to keep it too! There are lots of items that have been modified, but no special breads. When they brought the warm bread loaves and butter to the table, I saw the look in Jonathan's eyes, and my heart broke. So I asked the server to remove it, and he did without question or thought. Scott and Jeremiah weren't thrilled with this idea, but they adapted well. The server was knowledgeable and very helpful. Jonathan was so happy to have a "normal" dining out experience. IT was yummy for all and not a big ordeal. The best part is that the chocolate thunder from down under is GF. So Jonathan got to have a brownie sundae dessert!
It is funny how much I took going out to eat for granted. How much I relied on being able to just go and grab something. We don't eat out much at all, bc we can't now. I get exhausted coming up with ideas and meals that we can all have. This has been on of the biggest challenges for me, and to go out and eat today and everyone enjoy it and leave happy was such a wonderful blessing!
Now my boys are near meltdown bc I haven't fixed supper yet, I am still so full, but their bodies need refueling, and it is about to get ugly.
I just have to say how blessed I feel.
I know Outback is expensive, but those people deserve high praise. First to give out free kid's meals to our school, second to have GF options, and third for their outstanding service!
Thanks for letting me share!

Retired Sets List

Here is the retired sets list.
The accessories list was said to be out the 21st, I assumed of June, but now realize it is July 21st! So we will have to wait a bit. But this should hold us over.
Let me know if you'd like to order any of the sets before they are gone forever!

one of those days

Do you ever have one of those days when everything you touch turns to mush? Makes me want to just stop touching anything. I was on a roll Tuesday. Nancy and Stacey had come over to catch up on their scrap layouts, and I was popping out cute stuff left and right. Yesterday, nothing I tried worked. So I did what every crafter does, I walked away for a little bit. Thought I would go ahead and make some lasagna for Jonathan, he loves it. I make it with rice noodles, and you really can't tell the difference. Scott loves my lasagna that I put spinach in, so I thought I would go ahead and make it that way this time. Well, according to Jonathan, I ruined it. So yet again, I made a big mess. Anyway, right before we left for VBS family night at FBC Hewitt, I made this little guy. Not bad considering the day I had. My goal for Stamp a Stack is to use retired sets only, so I anticipate this set going, but won't know for sure until Sunday. So this card may or may not be in the SAS, but I will use the going out in colors as much as possible.

Fresh Cut Promo

This month SU! is offering a Fresh Cut promo. This stamp set, Fresh Cut, will be in the new catty, and you can order it now for $21.95, and then you can get the precut mini cards (15 with envelopes) for just $5, in the new catty they will be $9. If you host a show in June with the total at $400, you get the stamp set and cards FREE! I am also offering a promo with this set. Purchase that set, plus any other stamp set, or large punch, and I will throw in the note cards FREE! That is a steal of a deal! I am loving these precut cards and I love the stamp set. I can't wait for Susan Huey and Terri to get their hands on it! No telling what they will do! ;)

a new twist

Leave it to Kayla to tweak the card and come up with something wonderful!!! We had such a blast at the tech class last night, you will be so sorry you missed it. I think the Gel card was the most fun. The shaker card was fun, but tedious, and poor Kayla didn't get enough glitter.... Anyway, for the bead card, she made it into a wedding card, and isn't it cute? Good job Kayla Jayne!!! I put the "original" up for comparison. And that is Linda's trademark, take an idea you like and keep applying it in other ways. No need to keep thinking up new stuff when you can take what you already know and make it new. Happy Hump Day!!!