I don't normally use bleach, but when I do, it's for card making.

This month at VIP, we wore our junky clothes and tried stamping with Clorox!  We lined stamp cases with six sheets of paper towel and then poured in bleach until saturated to serve as our "stamp pad."  

The background stamps worked best, or anything with thicker lines.  Stamping sentiments didn't work well, since the bleach can run.  I also found that using a paint brush to dip in the bleach is a good way to touch up your images.  

As for what colors of cardstock work the best, I suggest dark colors like Blackberry Bliss and Basic Gray.  But surprisingly not Basic Black which doesn't work at all!  I also like bright colors like Melon Mambo and someone got a great (but subtle image) with Pineapple Punch.  

The cards we made are pictured below.  The first used Shaded Spruce and the Flowering Desert stamp set.  
The second card used the retired Swallowtail background stamp on Melon Mambo cardstock.
And the last card used the Buffalo Check stamp set on Blackberry Bliss.  Then we used the free Lovely Lattice stamp also on Blackberry Bliss, then snipped out and popped up with dimensionals.  

Such a fun and interesting look, if you can handle the bleach smell!  

On top of your Stampin' Rewards, hosts get to choose a free gift out of my goody basket!  

I am so excited to have put together a new scrapbook of all of the Stampin' Up! events I have attended thus far!  I was beginning to lose track of where I went, when, and with whom, so as a paper crafter, a scrapbook is in order!  Attending these OnStage events each April and November is one of my favorite reasons for being a demonstrator.  I can't wait for my next trip back to Minneapolis in a few months!

I used a 12x12 Black Faux Memories & More album, and added some Variety Pocket Pages and some Traditional Pages.  I found a cool "Travelogue" page that serves as my Table of Contents. After the cover page, I decided to do one spread (2 pages) for each event I attend.  So I have many blank pages in the album which I can't wait to fill up!  Interested in joining the fun?  Learn more here about the benefits of joining my team and how you can attend Stampin' Up! events too!  

Sale-A-Bration is such a fun time of year!  Spend $50 (before taxes and shipping) and choose one of the free options from the 2019 Sale-A-Bration Catalog!  There are 11 options available.  Which one is your favorite?

And when you spend $100 (before tax and shipping), you can choose two $50 options above
​or one of these two options below. Which one is your favorite?  

Also, note on page 2 where it says, "Watch for another set of exclusive free items coming February 15!"  That's when I renew my 12 month Paper Pumpkin subscription...and get to choose 4 free items!   

Starting with the 2019 Occasions Catalog, Stampin' Up! is introducing Cling stamps to replace Clear stamps.   If you have used our clear stamps before, you know they tend to fall off the clear blocks.   Now, with the addition of Cling stamps, you can put the sticker on with no worries the stamp will fall off!  Just be sure to follow these step-by-step instructions on how to assemble Cling stamps.  Once they are assembled, I suggest using the YouPick Tool to peel the stamps out of your case.  Here's a Facebook Live video I did to show my new Cling stamps.  Or check out the videos below to learn more!  

In November 2018, I made the trip down to Orlando to be a part of the 30th anniversary party for Stampin' Up!  Ten IN Stampers made the trip, by far the greatest number of team members to join in on the fun!  Without planning it, there were 3 others on my flight!  Once we arrived in Orlando, we rented a car and 11 of us stayed at Barb's vacation house, a Vintage Rose Stamper who graciously allowed us to stay for free!  The next day I was able to attend CenterStage with my upline, Chris, which was held at Epcot.  We got to taste food from around the world since the International Food & Wine Festival was going on, plus attend a private reception for Stampin' Up! leaders with yummy donuts and karaoke. The main event started Thursday and included make & takes, prize patrols, all-attendee giveaways, and lots of free time to eat and enjoy the sun.  After the high energy packed event, I made a solo road trip down to Naples to see my best friend and college roommate.  It was a fun-filled seven days and I can't wait to see where my next Stampin' Up! event takes me!

Have you tried the Big Shot Embossing Mats yet?  They are new as of June, and a fun way to get more milage out of your dies!  Check out the video below to see the dies in action!

​We used them at the VIP Club this month where we made three cards.  The first card used the Springtime Impressions Thinlits dies.  The second card used the new Blizzard Thinlit die from the Holiday Catalog.  And the third card used the Puzzle Pieces Thinlits.  ​

When you purchase them, they come with three components: a hard white plate, a ticker rubber grey mat, and a thinner rubber blue mat.  I cut up the directions from the packaging and slipped them into a clear mount stamp case, then labeled it along the spine to store in a tub with my other Big Shot accessories.  ​Such a fun addition to add to crafting!  Happy embossing!

I heard I would be spoiled on this trip, but I am still amazed and grateful.  In addition to the free flight and cruise for two, I received $289 in product, plus the 5 logo gifts.  Several have asked me what my favorite part was of the trip.  It would have to be combining my favorite things together: my husband, traveling, eating, and Stampin' Up!  I mean how many times can you go see the world and then come home to gifts?  Like the tooth fairy, but much better!  

As we were waiting at the airport to fly out of Seattle, I saw Shelli and Sterling Gardner, the founder and her husband.  I just had to go and say thank you.  I told her this was my first trip and, with a tear in my eye, how thankful I was for the opportunity.  She said she hopes this is just the first of many.  I told her I was sad not to earn Greece, but I would be working towards Maui!  As expected, she was as sweet as could be!  

I am truly grateful for all Stampin' Up! has done for me and my family.  I am so thankful to have a meaningful hobby that lets me meet new people, do something creative, and encourage others through cards.  I love having a business that makes a difference, and enables me to travel and be a part of something fun!  The next event I am traveling to is Orlando, Florida this November for the 30th anniversary celebration for Stampin' Up!  It's not too late to join the IN Stampers and come with us!  We even have a free place to stay!

Thanks to my parents who watched my boys while I was gone, to my husband Nicholas for letting me have the "endless parade of stampers" every month, to my upline Chris for motivating me and encouraging me to earn this trip, to my IN Stampers team who are always there to stamp and be a part of the fun, and to all my friends and customers who help support this crazy habit of mine.  And if you have never stamped before and want to try it, I promise you won't regret it!  Plus, with all these goodies, I plan to offer 5 extra classes this fall, in addition to the five I offer each month!  

And thanks for reading my blog...for those who commented, stay tuned this week for a drawing for a free stamp set!  Happy stamping!

Before arriving at our final port of Victoria, British Columbia, we grabbed breakfast and headed to Base Camp. I spun the wheel and won some Bermuda Bay Mini Striped Ribbon!  When we got off the ship at 9:30, we explored Victoria for about 3 hours.  We walked along Salish Sea to Fisherman's Wharf, up Government Street to Bastion Square, through Fan Tan Alley to Chinatown, over to Beacon Hill Park, and then along Waterfront Trail back to the port at Ogden Point.  The landscape and weather was beautiful, 82 degrees, sunny, with a light wind.  

At 12:45, we boarded a bus for our last excursion to go zip lining at AdrenaLINE in Sooke, BC.  After a 45 minute bus ride, we put on our safety gear and then took an ATV ride up to the top of the peak.  There were 8 zip lines, the longest was 1000 feet, the tallest was 150 feet high, and the fast was 42 mph!  I had never gone zip lining before, so it was a fun experience to check off the bucket list!  We didn't take any video when we were there, but here is a video I found on YouTube showing the zip lines we did.  We were 11 minutes late getting back to the boat, so thankfully we booked the excursion through Royal Caribbean so the boat wouldn't leave without us!

Sadly, it was time to pack and get ready for our last dinner in the Sapphire Dining Room.  We continued to eat with our new friends from New Zealand.  The last dinner was maybe my favorite: caprese salad, chicken marsala, and tiramisu.  I came back to find my last pillow gift: the Dashing Deer bundle and a map to scratch off all of the places we've traveled.  Where to next?